The White Lady of Aokigahara
by MyPassword
Summary: Being the son of a monk and demon slayer makes life messy. But, that one question Hikaru asked that started so innocent spins out of control mess after mess. "Inuyasha, why do you and Kagome live so far away?" If only he had known why earlier. He wouldn't have asked.
1. I wish I said nothing

Yay! I actually did it. Please give me reviews and encourage me to actually give a crap about finishing this. Tell me your thoughts, suggesions, mistakes you notices, or maybe even some things that don't make sense.

ENJOY!

* * *

Hikaru saw Kagome all the time. Many times he would find her helping some men in the field, or healing some sick person and a lot times she would join Mom for a cup of tea. But, at the end of the day she would always walk off in the forest to where ever it was that she lived while Inuyasha would escort her.

Hikaru saw Inuyasha all the time. Sometimes Inuyasha would help the men in the field, or accompany Kagome while she healed a sick person and a lot of times he would walk with Dad on a nice, sunny day. But, at the end of the day he would always bring Kagome home to where ever it was that they lived while Mom and Dad said goodbye. That's what Hikaru absolutely knew; it's something that he saw all the time. What he was really interested in was their daughter.

He never saw her going through the fields, or talking to people and he never saw her enjoy any company. That's because Hikaru never saw her at all. He only saw her at one point in time, but he never saw her after that. So that brings up how one question started an entire adventure that spun out of control.

He had always been the curious type, but he was also eleven at the time so he couldn't be blamed when he got curious.

"Where do you suppose Kagome and Inuyasha live?" Hikaru asked looking up to his two older twin sisters. His staff and their weaponry were dirty so they were cleaning out the nooks and kinks

The younger one, Hinata, looked up from her sword for a moment looking deep in thought even though the answer was obvious. "Probably in the middle of the Lost Woods like they say that do." She sarcastically replied then focused her attention to her sword. Sometimes Hikaru would ask stupid question, but he was a kid so what could she do?

"No really, where do you suppose they live?" He pushed.

The older one, Haruna, looked irritated and sat down next to her look a like. "Why?" She asked in her mind-your-own-damn-business voice. She pulled a strand of her nearly black hair back as Hinata handed her the sword. They were a good team, Hinata cleaned and Haruna sharpened.

"Well," Hikaru started as he stopped cleaning his staff. "Obviously, I want to know where they live."

It was obvious that they found him to be weird. It was a nuisance. It wasn't as bad as everyone in the village expecting him to be a pervert like his dad. That was never going to happen. Unlike his dad, Hikaru became a monk because he really liked the idea. The other option was a demon slayer, that didn't seem as great. But, he actually enjoyed the idea of being pure.

Whatever reason, his sister found him weird

"Yeah, we understand that," Hinata replied passively. "But why are you suddenly so interested in where they live? You've never cared before."

It was good that Hinata had cut off Haruna. If Haruna had the chance to put in her opinion then she would say something like, 'If they don't want to be found, then take a hint'. This wasn't very lady like, but Haruna was very lady like. She and Inuyasha got along swimmingly.

"I guess. But, why do they live so far away?"

The twins looked at each other before shrugging their shoulders. "Go ask mom and dad." They said in unison.

"I have and they just said that it wasn't my business."

"Maybe it isn't." Haruna finally had a chance to state her opinion. Hinata nudged her sister in the stomach because of her rudeness. All it got was a dirty look and a sigh. Haruna swung her sword, testing it's sharpness.

Scolding's hardly worked on Haruna. Sometimes she would behave for a couple of days before going back to her old behavior. There were a few times Haruna was nice, but it was usually meeting new people, but Hikaru was practically raised by her; He'd see right through her. It'd be like convincing Sango that the two were the other twin. It only worked on Miroku.

"Maybe their hiding something." Hikaru thought out loud. This only irritated Haruna.

"Maybe that's just the way Inuyasha is and Kagome accepts it so they live farther away." She snapped. She pulled out a dagger to sharpen it. "Instead of being creepy and wondering where a married couple live, why don't you be useful and help us improve our weaponry?"

Other people found her directness to be rude, but for Hikaru it was useful. When they were fighting demon, they didn't exactly worry about her being rude. With her being the leader it only made it easier to fight.

Hikaru sighed, finally admitting defeat. "You're right, I'm sorry."

Haruna was more interested in her dagger than Hikaru's apology. She leaned over and plunged the dagger into the tree that they were underneath. "Works like a charm. And I would know, I've used them before." Sharpening weapons was her mastery, which she bragged about too much. Unfortunately, it was one of the many reasons why boys went running within two seconds of meeting her.

Hinata scooted over to Hikaru "She's so prideful." She whispered in his ear. He chuckled.

This didn't go unnoticed by Haruna. She ignored it. The gossip that floated around the village about her was something she painfully knew too much about. It was other people's opinions, so there was no point in worrying about it. Her sister was a different story.

Hinata pulled away from Hikaru "How about after we clean these and sharpen them, we'll go with Kagome and Mom to get some tea?"

"No thanks. I'm going to go follow Komori around. I heard he's going to ask Tashiko's father for her hand. I want to be there watch him embarrass himself." Hikaru was lying; something he knew he shouldn't be doing. But, he was an eleven year old boy, he'd be too bored sitting around and watching girls sip tea and gossip.

"He is?! I'm going with." Haruna shouted jumping to her feet. She dropped all her weapons. A sigh of frustration came out followed by Hinata laughing at her. Haruna growled out some curses as Hinata helped her pick them up.

"No."

The twins looked up though Haruna gave him an odd look.

Hikaru sighed while shaking his head. "I said that I heard, not that he was going to. You know how he is."

The poor boy was girl shy. Something Haruna couldn't fathom because of how his personality was; calm and in control. No one could get a reaction out of him, not even Shouta! Why did he start acting goofy just because a girl was around?

"Well, fuck. Just ruin all my hopes." Haruna mumbled out. Watching Komori embarrass himself would have been the funnest thing to do on that dragged out day.

Once Haruna was done organizing her weapons she plopped back on the ground looking half way bored to death. Since Haruna was faster, Hinata continued cleaning. Silence over took them.

Children playing, men working the fields or horses hustling couldn't reach them. It was always nice to hear the birds or wind or that buzzing in their ears when it was quiet enough. When it was like that, Haruna tended to get bored and then tended to get in trouble and then tended to get yelled at. But, this type of behavior seemed to be normal when children had many siblings. More children, more ideas, more trouble and more spankings.

"Anyway's." Haruna yawned breaking that lovely silence they rarely got to enjoy. "What should we do after we're done with this? Maybe go train some more?"

"No, today's the lazy day." Hinata said as she handed another weapon to Haruna.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot."

"Lazy day?" Hikaru asked.

"We work out all the time." Haruna irritably complained. "We need a break every so often or our bodies break down. It's also good for a mental break too. So today's our lazy day. Unfortunately that also means that we can't do anything that would be hard on our bodies."

"Unfortunately?" Hinata quietly mumbled confused. A look of disbelief crossed her face. Who would think badly of relaxation?

"Oh." Hikaru silently mouthed.

The silence came back.

They choose a nice day to rest; not too cloudy, too sunny or too hot. It was that nice day where anyone could lay down and be asleep within seconds. It was still the beginning of summer, so there were few good days left.

Haruna snapped her fingers in realization. "Maybe we could ride around on Kirara?"

"It was fun when we were children." Hinata sighed.

"Annoy Komori?"

"That's fun for you."

"Annoy Shou-

-If you suggest annoying anymore of our siblings I'm going to throttle you." Hinata smiled innocently. Hinata most definitely wasn't Haruna, but Hinata had her own side.

The threat completely by passed Haruna. "Ask Mom to do our hair?"

Hinata sighed a little depressed. "Neither of us have boyfriends so there's no point."

Boys came running to meet Hinata. Not because she was so pretty but because of her statues and reputation for being polite. Sometime they didn't know she was a twin, and sometimes mistakes would happen. After two seconds Haruna had them running never to look back again. Many times Haruna did it on purpose; if they wanted Hinata so badly then why didn't they learn the damn difference before getting her hopes up? Even if it did irritate Hinata.

Haruna looked guilty but forced it off. "Go find out where Inuyasha and Kagome live?"

Anything to change the subject. It didn't do any good for a girl's self esteem; though, there wasn't much to her.

"They live all the way in the lost woods, you know, where all the trees look exactly alike so it's, you know, easy to get lost, you know, in the woods." Hinata sarcastically replied.

Only Haruna could bring out Hinata's rudeness; they had a special relationship like that.

"All trees already look alike." Haruna rolled her eyes which got a huff from Hinata.

"My point is that the woods are really easy to get lost in and everyone knows it. That's why no one goes in there unless Inuyasha escorts them. How hard can it be to explain why the Lost Woods is called the Lost Woods?"

"We could always ask Inuyasha to show us." Haruna started to argue back.

Their arguments even had Hikaru running. It was something Hikaru never understood. Inuyasha and Kagome had arguments, not as bad as the twins', but it still hurt them. Not these two, they would fight, claw, scratch and bite, and then go do their hair.

"Can we just drop it?" Hikaru nearly begged, least he ran home in fear.

"I know what we should do!" Haruna shouted causing the birds to flap away from them. Her outburst made Hikaru flinch. He was scared of what she had in mind, but Hinata didn't seem worried, so it couldn't have been that bad, right?

Hinata sighed from Haruna's childish behavior. "What would it be this time?"

"Mud sliding!"

_'That doesn't seem so bad_.' Hikaru thought.

Hinata smiled. Because she approved the idea Hikaru would tag along, but that wasn't a good idea. Hinata knew where they were going to go and Hikaru would suffer a little, but that was fine. If she could spend childhood memories with her sister then his undergo was worth it. Oh, how mother would scream later.

"Of course we should." Hinata clapped her hands together in excitement and then looked at Hikaru. "Are you going to come with us?"

Hikaru thought for a moment. If Hinata didn't say anything against it then it would be fine. Sometimes, rarely, Hinata went along with Haruna's extreme behavior. But it was mud sliding, how bad could it be? But, it was Haruna's idea.

"Maybe later."

"Amazing how we act more like men than you do." Haruna taunted him.

Taunts did nothing to him; he was a passive person.

"Ah, well, when you put it like that I-

-Great, we'll go when we're done." Haruna interrupted.

He was going to that he still didn't want to go. No matter what he said Haruna would drag him along, like earlier that day. He didn't want to watch them fix their weapons, but she had her way of getting what she wanted.

He sighed in frustration. "Fine. You're going to coerce me no matter what I do."

Haruna squealed in happiness and threw herself on her little brother in a hug. Even Haruna had her moments. "Hinata," she sang out, "Hikaru is going to go with us."

"I heard." Hinata turned to get a better look at him. "Don't worry you're going to have fun."

"I doubt it." He mumbled through Haruna's man arms.

Maybe if he had never opened his mouth then they wouldn't have dragged him into their games.

* * *

"Sango, where are your children?" Kagome looked over the clothes they were hanging up. It was a nice day for laundry

"They're right here." Sango gestured to her two youngest children, Nanami and Aoi. The two girls looked up to their Aunt-like figure.

Kagome bent over and picked up Aoi, who was only four. She picked the short black hair from her face as the girl squirmed from the pampering.

"Not these little angels; the little trouble makers who always seem to beat up Hikaru."

"Ah, you mean Haruna and Shouta. Well, Haruna was with Hinata so I'm not concerned about her but I haven't seen Shouta all day." The woman stopped her work suddenly concerned for her fairly young boy. He had been considered an adult last year. Even though he was now thirteen she still looked at him like her little baby.

"What about Komori?" Kagome bent over to also pick up Nanami. She was six, so it was harder to catch her. It didn't help that Aoi was trying to kick Nanami away. Aoi was such an attention grabber. Kagome finally gave up and just let them play.

"Komori is threatening to ask for Tashiko's hand." She sighed. "My little boy."

Sango was Komori's age when she married Miroku. Societally it was fine, but all her children seemed too young; maybe it was because she was a mother. If she didn't let him go then he would end up like Hinata and Haruna, nearly twenty without any suitors.

"Hey, come on, he was your age when you got married. It's about time he did." Kagome nudged Sango trying to cheer her up. Never in her life would she have thought that sixteen was an appropriate age to marry. That changed when she stayed in the feudal era.

"And," Kagome continued. "If he does marry her then soon you'll be a grandmother."

Sango froze at the thought. Kagome looked over to her friend in concern. She waved her hand in Sango's face hoping to get a reaction. Sango grabbed Kagome's hand and shook her head in disbelief.

"What?" Kagome asked taking her hand back.

"Well," Sango hesitated. "You know how Miroku is. I'll probably be pregnant. Again. Soon."

"Yeah?"

"Let's say I'm pregnant now."

"Okay?"

"And Komori gets married now and lets say in a month Tashiko is pregnant. I would have a baby who is only a year older than their nephew or niece."

"Uh, okay, I see your point. That would be a little awkward."

"Yeah, lets hope I don't get pregnant again."

"What do you mean hope?" Kagome slid up to Sango. It's not that she was a pervert, but as a woman in her thirties who had a little(*cough cough* a lot *cough*) experience she tended to find it funny to embarrass Sango. "Just tell him no once in a while." Kagome gave her a sly smile.

"You know," Sango said hiding her face in her hands. "I liked you more when I first met you."

"Really?" Kagome's smile widen. "I didn't like you very much when we first met."

Sango looked up in surprise. "Why?"

"You did try to kill my husband."

"Oh." Realization dawned on Sango. She became embarrassed again and held her head down in shame. "Did I ever apologize for that?"

Kagome put her hand on Sango's shoulder. "Plenty."

"He wasn't your husband at the time." Sango mumbled as she went back to work.

"He wasn't such a sweet heart at the time." Kagome took the clothes Sango handed her.

Sango nearly choked on her breath. "He still isn't a sweet heart." She shouted catching the children's attention. "Sorry, sweeties. Go back to playing." Her solicitous voice soothed their concerns and they went back to rolling around in the dirt.

"Ppff, not when you guys around." Kagome laughed. "He has his moments."

"Yeah, he's a real romantic."

"Oh, you mean like Miroku?" Kagome taunted as Sango rolled her eyes. They paused for a moment before going into a giggle fit at their not-really-romantic-but-they-try-anyway's husbands.

"Please, Miroku doesn't get this for free." Sango proudly said as she gestured at her body.

"Yeah, neither do you." Kagome replied tilting her head towards Sango's two children.

"It's worth it." Sango smiled looking at her friend who looked suddenly depressed. There were times when Kagome looked to Sango's children in envy and in longing.

Sango wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulders trying to comfort her. "One day, Kagome-chan, one day."

"Yeah, maybe." she said quietly as the children looked up in concern.

The young girls look towards the women who were staring at them. They crawled over to latch onto their Aunt Kagome, who wasn't smiling like she always did. Kagome smiled at the two and gladly accept the hug. Their faces brightened as Kagome giggled. A hug always worked when she sad; They were proud of themselves.

"Why am I being down? The summer festival is soon. That's something to look forward." She got up as the girls went back to playing "You'll have to have your children exorcise some demons in other villages to help pay for it. They always have loved going to it."

"Mostly because Haruna and Hinata are stronger than any man in the village here."  
Sango mumbled out in frustration. They had to get married soon or else the men wouldn't want them for being, well, not old but older. They'd be less fertile and have less years to have children. Those two were concerning.

"Just don't forget to bring it up, okay Sango?" Kagome smiled.

"Right, of course." Sango smiled back.

* * *

"Where the hell is he?" Inuyasha growled. His attitude has been getting worse through out the day. His shoulders were hunched in that way whenever he found something to be tedious. He started mumbling under his breath. Something about them being dead if they didn't come home, or at least that's what Miroku thought.

They came home to Sango asking them to find Hikaru. Of course she was asking Inuyasha more than Miroku since Inuyasha could find them faster. Miroku though it'd be best for him to come along just to make sure Inuyasha didn't kill his child for being gone. So far it was paying off. Inuyasha was irritated because he couldn't find his scent anywhere. Normally he'd be able to find him in a few minutes, but his scent was covered up by other people working on the summer festival decorations. Even though the festival would be at the end of summer, better to be safe than sorry.

"I heard Haruna and Hinata talking about their lazy day. Maybe Hikaru joined them." Miroku said grabbing Inuyasha's attention. The dog demon huffed in irritation.

"Right. That stupid day Haruna made up to get out of doing anything and Hinata gladly followed with it. None of your other brats go along with it."

Miroku sighed with irritation. Inuyasha mood wasn't doing anything good for him. He just wanted to find his children and go home to his wife. It had been a long day.

"I understand that you would rather be with Kagome-san than go looking for someone else's child but soon it will start to get dark, I'm concerned for him. You know how easily his siblings target him.

Miroku glared down to the ground as if it was the cause of his irritation. "If Hikaru is with his siblings, I'm still concerned because of how they are with him. If he's not I'm still concerned. You know demons are more active during the summer time. They would want to come after him because he's a monk."

The two men stopped. Inuyasha looked at his friend in concern, he shouldn't have been so assertive. Miroku was concerned for his child and he should have been more empathetic.

The villagers passed them not knew the tension between them. They were the protectors of the village. It was assumed that they has everything under control.

Finally Inuyasha broke the silence with a sigh. "You're right. I'm just irritated from the long day." Inuyasha picked up the pace again.

Everyday was a long day. There was food to be picked, demons to fight, women to take care of and children to be protected. Inuyasha just wanted to go have dinner and take Kagome home.

Miroku smiled at Inuyasha's understanding and followed him. Inuyasha wasn't that angry teenager he met all those years ago. He was now a grown man who had his tenancies to be immature, but care for people and was (somewhat) gentle. Still, Inuyasha would always be Inuyasha.

"I'm glad I met you before I met Sango." Miroku walked besides his friend.

"Yeah, why's that?" Inuyasha turned his head trying to find Hikaru's scent.

"If I didn't have the experience with your horrible attitude then it would have been hell to raise children." Miroku let out a grin as Inuyasha became red in the face.

"You're a fucking idiot." Inuyasha growled out after hitting Miroku upside the head. Miroku rubbed the back of his head while smiling. At least Inuyasha wasn't in his horrible attitude anymore.

"Not so," Miroku smiled as his friend turned away from him. "If anyone can deal with your horrible anger then they can deal with a fussy child."

"Do you want me to find your damn kid or not?" Inuyasha scoffed avoiding a few woman carrying food. They were in a part of the village where there was store venders. They would sell fruits, vegetables, many different kinds of clothes, jewelry, and many times pots and pans.

Ever since Inuyasha decided to live in the village it had flourished and became a homey place for humans. He could do ten times the work any man could do. When harvest fell behind he easily picked it up. When a house was destroyed he put it back together. If someone was missing he could find them. No one dared to take advantage of Inuyasha, but they knew that he would be reliable and shortly afterwards yell at them for being careless.

"Oi, Hoshi-sama!" A woman from one of the stands yelled. Her loudness had others repulsed by her rude behavior. It wasn't polite for anyone to be so loud. "Are you looking for your children?" She continued to shout.

Miroku walked over to her while Inuyasha followed. "Why yes I am. Have you seen them?"

Miroku didn't know the woman very well, as a matter of fact, he didn't even know her name. What he did know her for was her goofy attitude. Always happy, always joking. It was nice to have someone just to be happy, better than Inuyasha's attitude.

The woman chuckled. "Only for a price I have." She smiled from her dominance, she had him by the rope.

Miroku did his best not to roll his eyes at her. He had to remind himself that she didn't know he was actually worried. Instead her gave her a smile.

"Well, if it weren't for I and Inuyasha you'd be dead. Is that a good enough price?" Miroku tried his best to ignore the glowering demon behind him. Inuyasha couldn't stand the woman.

She boisterously laughed before giving in. "They were here a long time ago; for a snack. They said that they were going to go mud sliding. I'm not sure if they were joking or not but since it's your twins I wouldn't be surprised, but it was Hikaru that told me. He's such a sweet angel."

Inuyasha shuddered. He hated angels.

"Thank you for your time." Miroku quickly said and turned his back. Her mouth was left gapping but she quickly shut it.

"Bye!" Her voice rung out.

Miroku sighed in relief knowing that if she had the chance she would ramble on about how sweet Hikaru was. Everyone knew Hikaru would make an excellent monk.

"Mud sliding?" Inuyasha inquired as Miroku lead by towards the woods.

"I forbade them from mud sliding when they were little." Miroku explained with a scowl.

His twins probably forgotten the beating he gave them after they disobeyed him once. They were grown up now, so they had to make their own life decisions. But, if they dragged Hikaru into it, he was sure to beat them.

Inuyasha noticed the angry look on Miroku's face. Miroku wasn't one to just stop kids from having fun. "Why?" Inuyasha broke Miroku's thoughts. Miroku snapped his head towards Inuyasha giving him an irritated look.

"They always found the most horrible places to go."

"Like where?"

Miroku sighed. "I knew a few spots but they'll take a while to get there."

"Can we just go already? The sooner we find them, the sooner I don't have to deal with this crap."

* * *

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Hikaru suggested as he looked over the hill filled with toppled trees, thorns and who knows what else. This was a bad idea, but Hinata was supposed to be the responsible one. Wasn't she suppose to not put him in fatal danger?

In front of him there was a sled that was used during the winter time to carry goods across the snow. They weren't seriously planning on putting him on _that_, were they?

It had been a couple of hours since the two girls had finished cleaning and sharpening their weapons. In that time that had gone to the village, had a snack and walked to the great hill that they were standing on. It was more like a mountain top; it had this chill about it that made it seem like death was everywhere. Yet, they were going to fall to their deaths far from where anyone could find them. No one would look for them because it would get dark soon and because they were near the Lost Woods. How ironic.

"Scared?" Haruna taunted.

Terrified, not that he would ever tell her that.

Haruna could read him too easily. She leaned far too close to him and he took a shaky step back. Sometimes her grin was enough to send the boys running. It made him shiver.

"Can't we just head home? Mom and Kagome-san will be starting dinner soon, right? Maybe Dad will be home." Hikaru blabbed knowing Haruna wouldn't abate her stand. "Maybe he will be with Inuyasha-san and then we can bug him."

"Just do it." Haruna bluntly demanded.

Hinata grabbed Haruna's arm and pulled her to the side. "If he doesn't want to then he doesn't have to." She finally stood up for up. Hinata was always mysterious like that, sometimes she stood up for him, but why this time?

Haruna ignored Hinata. They had always gone mud sliding as children, what was the worse thing that could happen? And why was she stopping her now all of a sudden?

Haruna gazed down the sludgy hill that was covered in muck, mud and moss. Even if it was a little dangerous Hikaru's life thrived on danger. Hinata was being too protective. If he got hurt Haruna would care too, he was her brother too.

"You battle against demons almost everyday nearly getting killed each and every time." Haruna pointed out in that annoying, bossy tone that she always had when she thought she was right. She flipped her long, shining, brown hair back as in a gesture to show that it was no big deal. It was just a hill.

"No, _you _battle against demons almost everyday nearly getting killed each and every time." he argued back knowing that it wouldn't do any good. "I was smart enough to know to be a monk; that way I can stand on the side lines, help in the battle and be fine at the end of the day."

Hikaru wanted to run away but she was still too close and too strong even with Hinata pulling on her. If he ran, she'd catch him in the open field behind him. In the end, she won.

"You are such a coward." Haruna accused him. He didn't care if she belittle him because he wasn't going to do it.

"Haruna," Hinata hissed out. "That's not how you talk to your brother." Hinata warned her by tightening her grip which was ignored by Haruna.

Haruna smirked and turned to her sister. "It's not my fault he turned out like this. It's also not my fault it's the truth."

Hinata let go of her and sighed out, "Even Inuyasha-san is nicer than you and no one thinks he's nice."

"Just because I'm always right and he agrees with me doesn't mean that you have to bag on my intellect." Haruna huffed out and then crossed her arms in a defying manner. It's not that she was always right but sometimes her mouth went off because something interesting always happened. Usually, someone got offended and told her that she was a horrible person. It hurt but at least it was something.

"You're not that smart." Hinata replied.

"Then why am I the leader of the group?" Haruna flipped back her hair again.

"Because Mom and Dad are getting too old and you're too bossy for us to say no." Hikaru said.

Haruna snapped her head toward her brother and bared her teeth like a dog. Hikaru tensed up getting ready for the attack.

"That's it!" She grabbed him too fast for Hinata to react. "Down you go!"

Down he did go.

And there was a cliff ahead.

_'So that's why Hinata stood up for me.'_ He thought before he panicked.

He screamed as loud as he could, hurting his throat. He tried to grab at the pounding branches but only scratched his hands. Desperately, he tried to claw at the ground, which only tore off his skin. He pulled back hissing at the pain. Finally, he pushed himself off of the sled hoping to crash into something. He huffed out as a tree slammed into his abdomen.

He stayed next to the tree debating whether he wanted to move or not. He settled with opening his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye the sled flinging off the cliff. He didn't see the cliff at the top of the hill. It didn't look all that deep, but it was dangerous. He decided he had enough and got up to have a look around.

His stomach wasn't too happy about him getting up. Sitting there wouldn't do any good so he forced himself up.

There was a bush that had grown over a sagging tree which had a hole in it big enough for him to fit. Go in there, or go back to his sisters. He pushed the bush out of the way and hid.

"Hikaru!" Hinata's concerned screams echoed across him.

He really didn't want anything to do with his sisters after they showed how much they loved him.

"Hikaru!" Haruna called out. "I'm sorry!" She sounded more distressed than Hinata. "I forgot about the cliff." Sure, she did.

The two girls stumbled into view desperately looking around them. Hikaru pressed his back against the root of the tree. The sun was starting to set so they wouldn't have saw him in his dark robes anyway's.

They ran off looking for him continuing to shout his name which became softer and farther away. It stopped. Hikaru turned his head around the tree to hear them better. They seemed to start a conversation which only sounded like soft muffles. After a few ex chances they grew quiet. He could only hear the ground crunch under their foot steps which eventually faded.

_'Damn it.'_

They were going to get Inuyasha.

Hikaru knew it was stupid, but he crawled out of the tree and went in the opposite direction. Let them worry, they would get in trouble, not him. Hinata would break down right away and apologize. Haruna was something else. Sometimes she apologized, sometimes it took a few days and sometimes she refused. Not like she really had anyone to loose.

Why was Haruna so stubborn? And why was she the one with so little consequences? If she got punished then she would brush it off. If something bad happened she could fix it. She had so little to worry about.

Forget about Haruna.

He went on.

The shade of pink over the forest held him in a trance. Dusk was always so beautiful. The shadows came out, the birds quieted down and there was that silence where he could hear the ringing in his ears. It felt so much like when he was with his sisters earlier that day, but this was much better.

He didn't walk for long when something caught his eye. There in the distance, through the forest, was a figure of a man. He was sitting on a toppled tree that hung loosely on top of another tree. He was high in the tree, far too high.

Hikaru hid behind a tree hoping to observe the man, actually boy. Hikaru realized that it was a boy. Maybe no older than him, maybe even younger.

The boy was inhumanly still. It made him shudder.

Hikaru let out a relieved sigh which made the boy snap his head towards him. How did the boy hear him from that far away? It didn't matter, even though Hikaru hadn't stepped away from the tree the boy still watched him like a hawk. He was looking for a threat and it really depended on if the boy was one too.

The oddness of the whole encounter was that even though the boy was looking for a threat, the boy looked bored. He just sat there looking irritated as if somehow Hikaru had intruded on him.

_'Is he a noble?' _Hikaru thought.

This boy was wearing a dark blue silk kimono. Something only nobles wore, but this boy couldn't have been. His hair was far too short, it barely went passed his shoulders and it was a little unkempt.

It seemed that too long had passed by and the two boys hadn't made any moves. Curiosity was getting to him.

"Who are you?" Hikaru asked.

"Who's asking?" He spat out.

Hikaru walk out from behind the tree and held himself a little higher. "I protect my village." He tried to sound intimidating and normally it would work. Men were always in awe at how he could have such confidence for being so young, but this boy was, well, a boy too. He wasn't going to be in amazement about a boy his age looking confident.

The boy scoffed. "I'm sure you do, kid." A smirk formed on the boy's face. That horrible smirk was worse than Haruna's. It held a knowledge that no matter what, you were always on the bottom and you would never be anywhere else. Hikaru may have been more experienced with life than other children, but even he didn't have that confidence that this boy had.

"You're a kid too." Hikaru growled out gripping his staff harder. The boy took notice and his smirk grew larger. This boy acted like he was arguing with a toddler. Tedious and for entertainment. The boy reminded him of Sesshomaru.

Realized dawned on him. What if this boy was a demon? It would explain the boy's arrogance and dismissive ness. But, he didn't have a demonic aura.

It didn't sway Hikaru. Many times demon would use spells to hide their auras to which Hikaru could easily see through. It felt strange and uncomfortable. Like it did with the boy. Hikaru may have been young but he was well trained. This boy must have been a demon.

Hikaru wasn't subtle reaching in his robe to grab a purification scroll. The boy didn't even bat an eye. Hikaru threw the scroll only for the boy to catch it and lazily drop it to the ground. Hikaru disbelievingly stared at it for a moment before looking at the boy in awe. It should have stopped whatever spell there was. But, there was the boy looking bored as ever.

He got frustrated. "Are you a demon?" He shouted at the boy.

If only Haruna were there to scare the boy into submission.

The boy laughed clutching his stomach as his voice echoed throughout the woods. Why was he laughing? This started to rouse Hikaru's anger. Nothing was more humiliating that someone laughing at his attempts at anything.

"What makes you think I'm a demon?" The boy calmed down but still had that horrible smirk on his face. Hikaru wanted to strangle him.

"Normally humans don't sit in trees."

The boy bared his teeth in a demeaning smile. "Sure they do."

"Not at sunset." Hikaru argued still suspicious. "Normally, humans go to their village because it's dangerous at night."

"Then why aren't you heading toward your village? Are you human?" He had a good point.

"I'm a monk." Hikaru said in his pride.

"Hardly." The boy laid his hands on the back of his head as if to show more dominance than before.

"I have experience in fighting." Hikaru argued back feeling very immature for the way he sounded, but he didn't care, this boy was irritating him. "Like I said, I protect this village so it's not uncommon for me to walk in the forest, even at night."

He was lying. There was no way in hell his parents would ever let him wonder around at night. Maybe in a few years with more experience, but the boy didn't know that.

"Is that so?" The boy taunted.

Hikaru calmed himself. Getting angry wouldn't get anywhere and to top it off he was getting off topic.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Are you a demon?"

The boy took his hands off his head and scrunched up his face in thought. For a while it seemed that the boy wasn't even going to answer him "I consider myself human."

That took Hikaru by surprise. A demon would never conform to saying that they were human, even if it meant protecting themselves from dying. But, only powerful demons could appear in a humanoid form. Was he really human?

Hikaru relaxed his body that he didn't even know had tensed up, though he kept his grip on his staff.

"Consider?" Hikaru confusingly repeated.

"Yes." He was blunt, so impassive as if it was the truth. It couldn't have been. If he was human, what was this boy doing here? Was he a monk like himself? Then how did that explain his odd aura? Maybe a ninja or something? He must have been some type of fighter otherwise he wouldn't have been out there by himself.

"Where are your parents?" Hikaru snapped.

"Where are _your_ parents?" The boy snapped back.

"They wouldn't be concerned for me." He continued his lie. "I said that it's not uncommon for me to be out here."

"Well, my parents aren't concerned either." The boy jump off of the tree. A jump far too high for any normal human to just jump off of like it was nothing. "Why don't you just leave me alone?" The boy started to walked toward Hikaru.

Fear gripped over Hikaru's body.

Now he really wished Haruna was there.

"If I was a threat I would have already made that clear, don't you think?" The boy raised his voice. "If I was a demon I would have tried to eaten you." The boy became more assertive. "If I was a bandit I would have tried to rob you." The boy closed in. "And if I was a murderer then I would have tried to kill you." The boy was in his face. "Leave me alone." The boy snarled.

So badly, Hikaru wanted to push the pale boy away from him and run, but this boy had him stuck in those violet orbs. Inches from his face, so close to his body and so intriguing, Hikaru couldn't run.

Finally, the boy slowly backed away from him.

Hikaru let out his breath that he didn't know he was holding. Maybe he really should have just minded his own business.

"Hikaru!" A voice rung throughout the woods. Hikaru and the boy jerked their heads in the direction of the sound. It was Inuyasha. So the twins finally sent him.

Hikaru turned towards the boy to find him a few trees away. It was like the boy hovered like a ghost instead of walked, so quick to maneuver around the forest. Unlike a human.

"Tell me your name." Hikaru called after him.

The boy glanced in at his direction with an annoyed look on his face. At least what Hikaru could tell from the darkness; too dark. He had been with the boy longer than he thought.

"We'll never see each other again." The boy quietly growled almost to keep from being heard. Inuyasha wasn't one to be messed with, Hikaru knew that well, but the boy didn't. So why was he trying to be quiet?

"In case we do." Hikaru called back out.

"Hikaru!"

The boy glanced in the direction of Inuyasha. A worried expression plastered on his face. Maybe he did know that Inuyasha shouldn't find him. Finally, the boy sighed out in annoyance. "Taro," he growled and then turned. "My name is Taro." Quickly, he went through the twisted paths. Too far away now.

"My nam-

"I know what your name is." Hikaru could barely hear his voice.

And then the boy, or, Taro was gone.

A scowled laid on Hikaru's face. Just what was Taro?

"Hikaru!"

The sound thundered in his ear as he frighteningly turned towards Inuyasha. "There you are." Inuyasha appeared out of nowhere yanking on Hikaru's arm as he held him close. "You know how damn worried your parents are? Huh?" Inuyasha growled vehemently glaring at him. A look of shock laid on Hikaru's face. Inuyasha took a moment to look him over. "The hell's wrong with you?"

Confusion spread on Inuyasha's face. He lightened his grip on Hikaru's arm and looked across the blended shades of the trees. He took a couple of steps away from Hikaru scanning the area with caution. The birds had their chirps, the frogs croaked, the incest crawled and the stars were starting to appear. Nothing unusual. Inuyasha was looking for something that wasn't there.

Inuyasha turned towards Hikaru with an annoyed look. "You were with someone?" It was more of a statement than a question, but felt like an accusation.

Hikaru shrugged his shoulder like it was no big deal, because it shouldn't have been, right?

"Yeah." he replied.

Inuyasha looked back towards the woods for a moment. "You know who?" His voice was covered with concern.

"No." He lied. He had been lying too much. At least Inuyasha wasn't a mind-reader, he would punish him for anything, but Hikaru was known for being innocent, so if he wanted to he could get away with a lot of things.

Inuyasha scratched the back of his head and look at the ground in deep thought. Eventually he sighed and said, "Let's just go. It's time for dinner and your parents are worried."

* * *

"Why the hell would you two ever do that?!" Sango voice screeched against the walls and made everyone want to cover their ears. The wrath of a mother was God's anger. "Haruna?" She growled staring at the older twin.

Haruna couldn't say anything. It was one of those question where the answer was always wrong. If she did answer, she might get strangled for it, so she could only hold her head down in shame.

"I found him all the way by the river side." Inuyasha smugly said leaning against the wall. Inuyasha was always a good person, but it was too entertaining watching someone get punished,

"After dark?! Look how bruised up he is!"

A few bruises here and there with a couple of scratches and mud all over to top it off. It's not like Hikaru hadn't had worse, but his sister was at fault. Note, sister and not sisters, their parents wouldn't believe Hinata would have anything to do with it. She had a far better reputation than Haruna and Haruna was willing to take a beating for it. She wasn't that bad of a sister.

The only thing Haruna had was two bruises on both sides of cheeks. One from Miroku and on from Inuyasha.

"Look, Sango, let her be, okay? Me and Miroku already gave her a piece of our minds."

It's wasn't like the beating would actually do anything to Haruna. It didn't matter. She would hold her head down and eventually everyone would let her go. In a few days the only evidence would be a bruise or two and it would be forgotten. In a way, like Hinata, she always got away.

Sango bit her lip while giving the girl a horrible glare. Her lips tightened before she gave in. "Fine," She growled. Even Nanami and Aoi were hiding behind Hinata in terror. "Only because I know Inuyasha gave you a beating."

Haruna gave that dominating smirk beneath her bowed head. Hinata looked away from her sister in shame. While her sister was hit for her mistake she was in the corner holding her sisters. No one would look her way.

Haruna lifted herself and sat next to Hinata. She landed with a thud as she held that bored look from earlier that day that brought about this mess. Hinata placed a comforting hand on Haruna which was ignored. No harm, no foul.

"Alright, alright," Kagome announced getting everyone away from the horrible mood. "Let just eat our dinner, okay?" She smiled her infamous smile that made everyone's heart melt. Everyone nodded and grumbled in agreement as the mood went from solemn to enjoyable.

The children sat on the wooden floor around the fire as the women handed out the bowls. Hikaru sat in a corner waiting patiently for his food. Just then Shouta suddenly appeared by his side and grabbed onto his arm in a death lock grip. Hikaru froze knowing what was going to come next.

"H-hey, Shouta. Where have you been all day?" Hikaru turned his head towards his a bit too creepy older brother.

Shouta gave his sly, terrifying grin. Despite Shouta being the most back-stabbing, devious, and sneaky know-it-all, every girl practically threw themselves at him. He had the most flawless pall skin ever, perfect black, soulless eyes and night black hair pulled back in a pony tail. Not too tall, not too short, not too big and not to small. Even with all his good looks and perverted nature, everyone knew to stay away from him. He was that person who held the knowledge that no one wanted getting out.

It was so ironic that Shouta was also a monk. The purple robe just fit him, but it really shouldn't have been placed on him.

Shouta grabbed Hikaru's face and inspected him like a dead body. "My poor baby brother. What did those that devil do to you this time?" Shouta faked concern. Shouta has his moments of solicitousness, like Haruna, but far in between.

Hikaru could only stare at him.

Shouta sighed and let go of Hikaru. He wasn't an idiot. Something happened to Hikaru otherwise he would have been more talkative, or playing with the toddlers, instead he was just sitting there. Hikaru took more time to get the truth out of, he would actually have to put some time into him.

Sango passed them bowls as Komori sat next to Hikaru. Komori wasn't really one to care about anyone. He just wanted to eat and then go to sleep.

Like the twins he was a demon slayer. He was far more tolerable than Shouta, and would make a far better priest, he just wasn't one to think ahead. He liked the here and now. He was here in the hut and now eating his dinner.

Shouta looked at him wondering about his lover's hand. He almost didn't want to ask just because Komori never reacted to him. He was so impassive that none of his siblings could irritate him. Shouta decided to go at it anyway's.

"Oi, Komori."

Komori turned his head towards Shouta who was on the other side of Hikaru.

"Did you ask Tashiko for her hand?"

The whole room froze and looked at Komori. They had been wondering how long he would procrastinate it. Everyone knew he was nice and would be able to take care of Tashiko. Her father highly approved of him. It was a matter of if he would do it or not.

"No." Komori quietly said and then continued eating his food. Shouta sagged his shoulders in irritation. Why did he have to have a brother like Komori? They were total opposites; Shouta was active, lively, un-empathetic, and talkative, but Komori was quiet, impassive, emotional and a loner. Unfortunately they were forced to get along just like all the siblings out there.

"Did you even see her today?" Shouta tried again.

Once again Komori gave a quiet, "No," and went back to eating.

Hikaru hunched his shoulders trying to make himself smaller. The tension between the two boys was always thick. Shouta tried to antagonize Komori and Komori couldn't be antagonized. Shouta always fought a battle in his head.

The rest went back to eating and talking about their days. Sango and Kagome as usual nothing too interesting, just gossip. While Inuyasha and Miroku talked about some exorcism that they did or maybe how the other men in the village were doing. Haruna playing with Nanami and Aoi despite her being bruised, but she was a tough girl. Hinata on the other hand laid back on the wooden walls, relaxing.

Shouta pulled Hikaru close to him draping his arm around his younger brother. The warmth spread on his body as he pulled him in just a little too tight. "The summer festival is coming up next month."

"Yes, I know." Hikaru nodded as his brother put his food down.

"We'll need to work extra hard to help raise enough money for it to be spectacular this year. You hear that Komori?"

"Perfectly." Komori rolled his eyes. He hated it when people told him the obvious. Komori pulled his hair out of his face in irritation. He looked so much like his mother, which irritated him more.

"We need it to be so great because Uncle Kohaku and Aunt Rin are coming." Shouta told Hikaru.

Hikaru lowered his brows in confusion. "They come every year."

"Exactly, that's why it's need to be so great." Shouta said as if everything he said was so obvious even their little sisters could understand. To Komori it was.

"Oh damn, that's right the summer festival." Haruna grumbled loudly enough for everyone to hear. They all turned their heads in her directions.

Hinata pinched the bridge of her nose in embarrassment. "Yes, the summer festival. The one we've been talking about for days and have every year. You act like you had no clue."

Haruna sighed in irritation, grabbed her sisters shoulder and pulled her close. "The reason why I say it is because every time it comes around Sesshomaru comes around. Every time Sesshomaru comes around he and Inuyasha get into a fight."

Nanami pulled on Haruna trying to get her to play with her again. She had no idea that everyone was not looking forward to another fight between demon brothers. Every year something would be said or done to get Inuyasha to nearly destroy half a forest.

Kagome rolled her eyes at her overly angry husband. "It's not like they've ever destroyed something. Besides, he usually just comes to visit Rin. You're not going to go looking for a fight because of that, are you?"

Inuyasha scoffed at her and held his head high. "Why the hell would I do that?"

"Because you two hate each other." Shouta smirked from across the room.

"Keep it up kid. You're asking for it." Inuyasha growled out. Shouta put his hands up in defeat and backed down. The only one Shouta didn't mess with was Inuyasha, least he undergo his wrath. Only Haruna could put up with that.

"Right, I was going to ask you kids to do some more exorcisms to raise up money for it." Sango interrupted the two immature boys. Sango was mostly looking at Haruna who was going to speak for them whether anyone liked it or not.

"Of course." Haruna said. "We always love helping out at the festival."

"Mostly because you're stronger than most of the men here." Shouta mumbled so only Hikaru could hear who was still underneath him. Something Hikaru didn't know that Shouta did was that Haruna was insecure about her feminism. Her confidence made everyone think otherwise. Maybe Hinata knew. But she was mysterious like that.

Sango smiled in approval. For a while it went back to the way it always was. Girls gossiping and boys picking on each other. The fire stayed warm and the hut continued to smell like herbs and vegetables while Nanami and Aoi went at it about as bad as Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. Of course no one would stop the toddlers from having their fun. They had to build up muscle to one day kill demons. Haruna cooed over them as their high pitched voices carried on laughable threats.

"Kagome." Inuyasha said.

Kagome turned her head toward him. "Yes?"

"Let's head home." Inuyasha stood up then held his hand out to Kagome. She took it and he pulled her off of the ground. Hikaru looked up to the couple as his earlier question formed in his mind. Haruna noticed him and smirked at him. He ignored her as he watched Inuyasha and Kagome give their good-byes and finally leave the hut.

He was tempted to peek through the door and watch them as they left but Shouta would have jumped on him afterwards and demanded to know what it was about. Looking over, Shouta was watching him. Of course Shouta would know something was up, why wouldn't he?

The girls put the dishes away and got water for the next morning. Clanging and clinking could be heard while the boys laid out the cots for the younger girls who were nearly passed out. Miroku grabbed another log and threw it in the fire pit to keep it running for a good potion of the night. Getting ready for the night passed as the children went into one room and Miroku and Sango into another.

A glow on the other side of the wall was the only light and heat besides the blankets that covered them. Nanami and Aoi passed out in their cot holding each other not knowing the rules of sibal rivalry yet. Even though Hinata and Haruna slept under the same blanket, they weren't like the two toddlers.

Hinata grabbed Haruna and pulled her under the covers. She whispered in Haruna's ear, "I'm tired so if you bother Hikaru I'm going to decapitate you in your sleep." Haruna silently laughed at her sister threat and complied. Hinata cuddled next to her older sister in that closeness that they had. If anyone else tried it then they'd be dead within two seconds.

The boys resided in their own cots away from each other. Komori went into his own corner away from everyone else like he always did. Shouta dropped on his cot somehow making it look demeaning like he always did. And, Hikaru was left tucking himself in like he always did. It left him with his own thoughts, like where Kagome and Inuyasha were.

Maybe Haruna was right; he didn't like being near people. Maybe she was right about him being creepy too. Hikaru rolled over and held the blankets tighter. He just really wanted to know where they lived. If he knew then maybe, just maybe he could go in. And if he could go in then she just might have been there. She, who he only remembered meeting once.

Their daughter.

* * *

I totally got lazy at the end with Miroku and Inuyasha's conversation. And I totally forgot that Miroku was even in the room at the end. I really did. Oh well, I'm too lazy to fix it. REVIEW!


	2. Daisy's and Bad Nuts

I wrote this chapter in five hours filled with ignoring homework and sleep deprivation. I will never write a chapter this fast. Don't get your hopes up.

* * *

What would she say?

Komori sighed in defeat brushing his hair from his face. Looking over his hard work, he thought how others may have been impressed but it just wasn't enough for Tashiko. She was so intellectual, solicitous, and had many other magnificent tributes that other girls just didn't have. Why would he care what they had to say?

The green kimono stuck to his sweaty skin from the hard day of work. The only thing he had done was dig, shovel, dig some more and the whole thing left him feeling frustrated.

He leaned on his shovel as he gazed over the field in front of him. There only a few daisies left, there had been more that morning before he dug them up. The rest spelled out 'Will you marry me?'; each letter nearly as big as he was.

The yellow daisy's blew in the soft wind which gave Komori some relief from the beating red sun. The grass was green enough from all the digging that he had done, only leaving a few brown spots here and there. It didn't look too bad.

Maybe Tashiko would like it.

Maybe she would say no.

Komori sat down in defeat letting the shovel fall over. He looked at his bruised up hands in frustration. What was wrong with him? Tashiko hardly talked to other boys, never looked at other girls in envy and spent her days following him around. Of course, she would say yes, she had to. If she didn't, he didn't know what he would do. He had spent the last year wooing her, working for her father's favor, memorizing her family's tradition and holding back his sarcastic comments at her siblings. So much work was done, just like what was in front of him. Tears prickled behind his eyes just thinking about it. She had to say yes.

Komori leaned back and let the breeze waved through his clothes. His muscles relaxed as they finally realized that he wasn't working them so intensely. The relief felt nice.

His face scrunched up as he tried to think about happy thoughts. Maybe if she said yes they could have their wedding during the summer festival. She always liked going. There were games, dancing and mostly stars. She loved pointing out to him the constellations and teaching him the history behind them. She was such a smart and generous woman. She would make a wonderful mother.

Komori smiled at the thought. How amazing would it be to have children with her? He could raise them, teach them and come home to a perfect wife. Only she could raise the perfect children. Nothing like his siblings.

He rolled over and pushed himself off the ground. He brushed the dirt off his clothes and stood up straight. The only way to know if she would marry him was for him to ask her. No more evasiveness. Though the idea sounded really nice.

He sighed in hopelessness. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

She couldn't stand this. Her father had been ranting about how great Komori was, it was unusual for a man to be so eager to get rid of his daughter. Wasn't he suppose to keep her in a steel tight grip with her mother prying his fingers off of her? He was so protective of her older sister, refusing every man who came looking. She frowned at this thought. No, father wouldn't favor her sister over her. Komori was just a gentleman, that's all.

Her father made some gesture that snapped her attention back to him. He didn't noticed her not paying attention because he was far too deep in his rant. She was looking over at him from the stoop of her house while he worked in the small amount of space between the dirt road and working men. In her hands she held some of the tools he needed for whatever it was he was building.

She sat a bit straighter. She ought to be a proper lady and not slouch, also it was bad for posture.

She was a carpenter's daughter. It was a wonderful status for society, though a demon-slayer's wife would be much higher. There wouldn't be as much money, but it didn't matter. What did matter was when it would happen, if it would happen. The poor girl-shy boy.

She resisted shaking her head in disapproval. Her father would think that it was aimed at him. Being disrespectful was something she was not about to do. Something Komori's brother, Shouta, needed to learn.

"-home; Don't you think? Tashiko?"

She had no clue what he just asked her. A big smile went across her face as she said, "Of course, father."

He gave her an approving smile and he went back to hammering at whatever it was that was in front of him. She really should have been listening. Even if he had given the same rant three times that week it was still rude to pretend to listen. But, she was so bored with his repetitive behavior.

"Father?" she interrupted him.

He looked at her for a moment giving her silent permission to speak.

"May I leave? I would like to find Komori."

A smile broke out on him. He really did like Komori, even if Komori really didn't like him. "Of course, just leave those tools right there and you go find him, alright?"

Tashiko smiled and gently put down the tools. Father made it sound like it was his idea for her to leave. How Mother met him she would never know.

She gently brushed off the invisible dirt from her silk Kimono. It was an expensive one that her father bought her. It was bought for the sole purpose of showing off to Komori. No point in sitting around and not doing that, it was so pretty.

She smiled at how Komori would stare at her. The thought of seeing him always made her energized and happy. A single touch would send shivers up her fingers and down her back. Maybe he would call her a complicated word for beautiful or something poetic and give her compliments, like he always did. She felt her heart tingle at the thought as she made her way down the dusty, busy road.

Finding him was a different story. As a demon slayer, he knew all the little hiding spots in the village and forest. He had shown them all to her, but getting to all of them would take too much time. She would have to settle with asking his family.

Children busied down the houses playing and yelling at each other. A few birds dashed away from humans. Things were dropped, things were picked up and the horses carried it all. Food was collected and given. Everything was just normal.

The hut where Komori lived came into view.

Tashiko turned away from the house suddenly self conscious. A bucket of water was placed near their house. She walked over and gazed into it. It reflected back an uneasy girl. She squinted at all of the flaws that she had such as the single strand that held out of place with her tied hair. The petal of the white flower that withered in her bun. The bumped in her cheeks from teenage acne. Or some of the wrinkles and unevenness in her Kimono.

_'If these flaws are apart of you, how could I not love them as I have loved you?'_

Komori's voice rang in her head. How could she looked upon these flaws and hate them when Komori loved them? How could she not love anything Komori loved?

"Tashiko!"

She panicked and quickly turned towards the voice. There, in her demeaning posture, was Komori's frightening older sister. Haruna.

The girls face held a scowl which could only mean that her wrath would be targeted on the nearest person. Tashiko's heart sped up hoping for any God with any mercy that it wasn't her. Tashiko adverted her eyes and shakily tugged on the sleeves of her kimono.

"Yes, Haruna?"

She only heard a chuckle. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

"Have you heard the news?"

Tashiko tensed her shoulders. She dared to look up at Haruna. She had that horrible smirk that Komori told her about. Softly, she squeaked out, "What news?"

* * *

This was bad. Komori came over for Tashiko just to hear the she went looking for him. That in itself wasn't bad, what was bad was the fact that Tashiko's sister, who unbeknownst to Tashiko absolutely hated her, dragged him inside and was talking to him.

_'It's no big deal, it's no big deal, it's no big deal,'_ he kept chanting to himself but his shoulders remained tight and his teeth pressed together. It was just a girl talking to him, but this girl was Tashiko's sister. Whenever he talked to girls he thought something bad would happen. Something bad always did happen, so he should have been used to it. The problem was that he wanted to ask Tashiko to marry him, and he was terrified that he might say or do something to offend the girl. If she became offended then Tashiko might become offended too. What if he never got another chance?

"I honestly don't get it." She droned on about whatever it was she was talking about.

Tashiko respected her older sister, even if she wasn't really a good older sister. He understood, but, just, well...what if?

He clenched his teeth tighter and resisted saying anything.

The women was giving him an odd look. "Yeah." he replied which got her droning on again. Good thing he was known for being quiet. He almost let out a sigh of relief, almost. If he did, then she might think something was up. She was intimidating. Why was she so intimidating? With all the years of practice being around Haruna, this girl should have been a rat challenging a lion.

It was just a sitting for tea.

The women reached over to grab a bag of nuts and handed him a few while making hand gestures to emphasize whatever point she was trying to make. Shakily, he grabbed a few of the nuts. Grasping the nuts seemed nearly impossible, cracking them opened was harder.

SNAP!

Komori slightly jumped spilling his nuts over the floor. He hesitantly turned his head towards the women who was giving him an irritated look. He mumbled out a few apologies as he got on his hands and knees to clean up the mess. They only rolled away from his hand. He swallowed the lump in throat feeling discouraged. Maybe after he married Tashiko this incredulous behavior would stop.

_'It was just her opening a nut.' _He tried to reassure himself. It really didn't help.

After gathering them into his hands he gently put them back onto the table. He scooted over carefully hoping not to break anything. With his luck he would, even though there really wasn't anything to break.

"What a shame." She finally said making jerk his head towards her. He stared at her with a hepatic look waiting for her to continue. "A bad nut. It's a bad omen, you know." She casually said as she placed it on the table.

It was like the very being of the nut sucked him into a dark hole. His throat felt dry and his head started to hurt. It really was a bad omen. He prayed it was for her, not him. This couldn't happen to him, not on that day at least. He worked too hard. He did everything perfectly. It couldn't come crashing down. Nothing would be the same. She just had to say yes. This couldn't really mean anything, could it?

The room started to look fuzzy and blue all over. Just a little. Okay, maybe a lot. The blood flushed into his face and his body became very cold and clammy.

She took notice of him. "You look pale. Are you-"

He slammed into the floor with a thud.

* * *

Haruna groaned and rubbed her temples just a little too harshly. Why was it Komori always doing this? Komori! Not jerk face Shouta, or awkward Hikaru, not even I'm-secretly-a -murder Hinata. Okay, Hinata was actually the nicest person in the world, but why Komori? He was so composed, full of discipline, the best she had ever seen from anyone. Fighting alongside many comrades, she had seen many warriors. None of them as disciplined as Komori. Why him?

Tashiko's older sister, Chinatsu, was waving a fan in his face trying to cool him off. At least the girl was smart enough to put a pillow beneath his head. Tashiko had taken a rag and started to wipe the sweat from his face and neck. Haruna obviously noticed the look Tashiko was giving Komori as she went farther down his neck.

"Enough." Haruna snapped giving both the girls a fright as they turned with shocked expressions. Haruna couldn't help but roll her eyes, she wasn't that bad. She looked to Tashiko and said, "You'll have plenty of time to feel him up on your wedding night."

The girl immediately blushed while her sister giggled. Tashiko placed the rag back into the bucket of water and sat with her hand on her lap. Maybe, she shouldn't have been so hard on the girl, after all, she just found her lover passed out at her house. That had to be worry some.

This whole mess was just another reason for Haruna to assume control. Like always.

Haruna sighed. Taking in a deep breath, she relaxed herself. No need to get worked up over something so little. She flipped back her long, black her in her little gesture of dominance.

"Let's just wake him up shall we?" Haruna suggested as the girls back away from the passed out boy.

Haruna sat by her younger brother and looked over him in disapproval. Poor boy, just wanted to get his girl and had to put up with the harpie bitch. What did she do this time? She placed a hand on her brother's face in her rare gesture of love. Slowly she rubbed her thumb across her rough skin. Too many fights.

She frowned. Maybe she should have protected him better.

"Komori." She soothed in a voice no one thought she could pull off. "Wake up, sweety." Only Hinata called any of them sweety.

Komori's eyes twitched.

"Komori." She tried again with a little bit more assertiveness. "Wake up, honey." Only Mom called any them honey.

Komori groaned but remained unconscious.

"GOD DAMN IT!" She screamed that sent the other two girl flying away from her. "IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP I'M GONNA PUT MY FOOT UP YOUR ASS!"

Komori rolled over and put his hands over his ears. "I get it." He softly told her.

Haruna huffed out in annoyance and looked to the other girls. They were on opposite sides of the room giving her horrified looks. She looked back over to her cowering brother who was probably waiting for her to leave before facing the demon of, whatever, Chinatsu was. He would probably apologize and run but that was his problem.

Chinatsu cautiously stood up and her sister followed. They returned to Komori's side looking over the poor boy in confusion.

"Oh yeah, Komori. Your sugar baby is here."

Komori jumped up and faced the girl. He backed into the wall and he gave his sister a horrified stare then turned to Tashiko. Tashiko gave him a confused stare as Komori looked ready to faint again.

"Well," Chinatsu tried to put in her opinion but was cut off by Haruna grabbing her hair and pulling her out of the hut with the girl screaming threats the whole way. Even she knew when to leave a couple alone, but this spoiled brat couldn't even get that.

Poor Komori really did work hard for Tashiko. Even she had to respect him for putting up with the screaming girl. As his older sister, she wasn't about to let a little shit ruin all his hard work. She couldn't help but smile as her little brother was growing up. He really was a man that any women should have wanted.

* * *

She was in front of him smiling. Smiling! After he had fainted in front of her sister and had made a fool out himself. Why? Why would she ever waste her time with someone as embarrassing as him? She always stayed by him even when he would mess up or do stupid things. Why?

She took a step forward and he took a step back. She frowned at him. She gently reached out and grasped his sleeve which sent shivers up his arm. "Komori." She grumbled out in disappointment. His heart sank at her tone.

He refused to look at her, instead he noticed her kimono. It was a silk kimono. It started pink at the top and slowly faded to a beautiful, bright violet with many beautiful white flowers that showed the pure soul that she had. It just wrapped around her fragile frame that he could so easily break with his years of training.

It was carefully placed together with a wonderful red obi that tightly showed off the curves that he always wondered if she had. The top of her kimono showed off a little of her pale and flawless neck that had him reeling.

And her hair, it was put up in a bun that let a few strands fall out in all the right places. It all was placed together with her child-like face. Her small pink lips, beautiful hazel eyes, and small pig-like nose that fit together in her cute face. She always had him breathless.

A large smile broke over her plum, little lips. "You like it?" Her voice rang with excitement.

He took back his arm and tried to shrink himself. Slowly, and with a blush, he nodded. Her face glowed with pride as her smile brightened. "I thought you would."

Her eyes scanned over the brightened room. She looked deep in thought for moment before asking, "Would you like some nuts?"

It came crashing back. It was that bad omen that caused him to faint in the first place. His hands clammed up again as he tried to force his feelings down. The last thing he wanted to do was for Haruna to come back with him fainted, again! She would throw such a hissy fit.

"N-no, no, no. It, I , no. I'm good." He staggered out as he tried walking around her in exasperation. He held himself a little tighter trying to keep calm. "I'm not hungry."

Luck, as usual, was on his side. He didn't watch he was going and stubbed his toe on the table. He hissed back in pain amazed how a table had him beat but not a demon. He grabbed his foot hoping around trying to grab a hold of it.

Tashiko, with her loving nature, tried to grab him to balance him out but instead was pulled into the table where the unfinished cups of tea were. It ended with him falling on the ground and her crashing a second later.

Komori flinched back not daring to look at his lover.

Finally he took a glance.

Tashiko was whimpering as she tried to smooth out some of the rips that the glass had caused and picked at the stains that the tea had left behind. The stains wouldn't come out and both of them knew it. Stitching up the kimono would make it loose it's value and it would be so noticeable that she might get mocked for it. He didn't want that for her.

Tashiko looked on the verge of tears. That's when Komori, sort of, well, flipped out.

"I'm so sorry, Tashiko!" Komori nearly shouted.

Only when he panicked did he get loud. He just ruined her expensive kimono that must have taken weeks to sew. It must have been worth so much and the one time he sees it he went and destroyed it. He daren't get any closer in fear that he would somehow make it disintegrate from his touch.

"I'm sorry, you know; This isn't the first time I ruined a kimono." He grabbed his head in exasperation. "There was once I ruined my mother's."

Tashiko looked up to her distressed boyfriend.

"I was like, maybe four, I don't know. I kind of remember it. I was half asleep, or something." He quickly rambled making exaggerated hand motions as if that helped his case. "I had to use the bathroom so I kind of soiled her Kimono in the middle of the night."

He stopped and stared at her in disbelief. How could he blabber out something like that?! What would she think of him after hearing it?

So this was the bad omen. He slumped his shoulder in defeated and bowed his head in shame. The floor was the only thing he could look at. He tugged on the ends of his sleeve waiting for her response.

She giggled a light hearted giggle. A huge smile was plastered on her face as her laughs grew louder and echoed across the room. He looked up to her with new found hope. What exactly was she laughing at? Was it good, bad or laughing at his embarrassing story? He looked back to the ground, regretfully.

He felt her soft hand on his cheek as she urged him to look at her. Her smiled remained wide and her pearly white teeth showed. His heart fluttered realizing that she wasn't upset with him.

"I wore it for you, so if you ruined it then it's all the better. And, my answer is yes."

"What?" He tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"Haruna took me to that field you were working on." Tears started to glimmer in her eyes as she glowed with veneration. "It's the most romantic thing any girl could ever ask for." She slightly leaned into him, comfortable touching him.

A smile slowly appear on Komori's lips. His body tensed as the information settled in and took form. He broke out in laughter and grabbed her holding her high in the air. Her hands strapped on his shoulders and he held her with a new found confidence. He placed her down and pulled her into a hug letting his chin rest on her shoulder.

"Truly?" he asked her. He just had to hear it again.

"Truly." She replied leaning her head against his own shoulder.

Komori pulled away from her to stare into those pools of brown that he would be able to see everyday from then on. He tilted her chin and went in for a kiss. She gladly complied and leaned in closer to him. Their skin brushed together as one in a new found happiness and togetherness.

They pulled apart only for Komori to continue to kiss the side of her head and along her temples.

"Let's get married now." She mumbled through his kisses.

He took of breath of excitement and tugged her hands into his. "We'll ask Lady Keade to marry us."

A laughter escaped her lips as he ran out the door with him avoiding irritated people. They didn't care. None of the villagers knew their breathtaking moment. He knew that it wasn't exactly an elopement with her father's high approval, but it felt rebellious all the same.

Maybe it was just an omen, after all.

* * *

"My baby's growing up." Sango cried into the cloth that was handed to her. She sniffed and wiped her tears. Haruna could only stare in amazement hoping that in all the seven hells that if, IF, she ever had children, she wouldn't be so emotional like her mother.

Miroku grabbed Sango holding her close and wiped the tears from her eyes. He really didn't know how to handle the situation. He would expect himself to have mournful emotions at his daughters' weddings, but weren't women supposed to encourage marriage?

"Don't worry, I probably won't cry like this at your wedding, Haruna."

Miroku held her tighter. "The only crying anyone would do at Haruna's wedding would be for her husband because he would die soon."

That got a glare and a scoff out of Haruna. Miroku only replied with a sarcastic grin. She rolled her eyes and turned her nose in the air. It was too much like Inuyasha's.

"Not funny." Haruna growled.

Miroku let go of his emotional wife and pulled his less than happy daughter into an embrace. "At your wedding I'll give your husband a sword and tell him it's to protect himself when he irritates you."

Haruna growled some more. Why did everyone always tell her how horrible she was? She understood it as a joke but it was really getting tiresome and it was really getting to her. Sure, she wasn't gentle, soft-spoken, or lady-like, but that didn't mean she was this horrible monster that everyone made her out to be. Well, if everyone kept insisting, then they were either right or they were idiots, right?

"Miroku," Sango sniffed getting her husbands attention.

"Hmm?" Miroku turned towards her.

"If I get pregnant again, I'm going to castrate you."

Haruna burst out laughing and rolled on the ground. Miroku could only stare in disbelief and scratch the back of his neck in awkwardness.

"Come now, Sango, why would you want to do that?"

"I refuse to have children younger than my grandchildren."

Miroku gave a nervous laugh as his daughter's laughter continued to ring through out the hut.

* * *

"What's a sugar baby?"

Komori choked on his breath and stared at his fiance in disbelief. She was only a year younger than him! Haruna and her horrible profanities.

"Nothing."

* * *

What a fluffy chapter filled with romantic bullshit. Oh, well.

For some reason I imagined her kimono a bright, lime-green. Weird, huh?

So Keade would be like 70, I wonder if she would be able to live that long in the feudal era. Maybe, I don't see why not, besides the disease, demons, bandits, famine, heatstroke, horrible winters and too much physical labor. But in my fanfic she's still alive damn it! I like her too much.


	3. On With It!

So the first chapter I was all like, it from everyone's point of view, then I wrote the second chapter and was all like, can't do that shit no more.

"Oh, my... Shippo!" Kagome held her hands to her mouth in surprise. Giggling excitedly she ran over to the demon and wrapped her arms around him with the most force that she could manage.

She shouldn't had been that surprised since he came every year for the festival, but it was still a good month away, normally he would come a few days before it.

She looked back with glee as she examined the man who she raised like a son. He hovered over her by a good head and grew on a care free smile with clearly show teeth sharper than Inuyasha's. Once Inuyasha had convinced her to let him get to Shippo, the boy had turned into a marvelous fighter. Though, it was for a cost. A few bumps and faded scars had crossed his face from over the years.

His hair had grown like Inuyasha's well beyond his back which, like Inuyasha's, was down and free. Was lean and fit, since he never was one to be bulky, after all, he did rely on speed and magic many times in fighting. His long arms finally held Kagome back in a hug and she smiled with joy. It always great to see him.

He had on a horrible dark blue kimono which made he orange hair and deep brown eyes radiate. It just stood out too much. It made his hair stand out too much too. Lucky for him, the people in the village didn't care if he was a demon or not so it really didn't matter.

"Down here for the festival?"

"As always."

Kagome grabbed his arm and guided him towards the village fields. It didn't matter where they went as long as she got him all to herself. No use in standing in one place getting in everyone's way.

"You're far too early." Kagome beamed up at him.

She watched her son gaze out to the rice fields watching as the workers slide across the water in their canoes. It was still too far away, but with a few demons living in the village, the villagers always thought it was a good idea to hang up talismans. They wouldn't want demons coming in and attacking them especially during summer. Even if Inuyasha could fight them off.

"Well, there has been a lot of activity in the eastern province, so I thought that I might come early." Shippo's voice rung with concern.

Kagome bit her bottom lip. Please, _please_, don't tell her what she thought it was.

"Isn't that where Sesshomaru has been?" She held his arm a little tighter.

"Yeah," Shippo scratched the back of his neck in uncomfortableness. He obviously didn't want to worry her, but it seemed a little too late for that. "Sesshomaru, has been busy with a few demons. Nothing he can't handle, but there has been a lot. Weird thing is that they're demons I've never seen before."

Kagome looked up with wide eyes. "Just, what did they look like." Her voice slightly quivered.

"Well... light, I guess."

"Light?"

"Yeah, they're skin kind of, well, glimmered."

Kagome dug her nails into his arm. Stiffly, she replied, "I need you to do me a favor."

Just what the hell was going on? Hikaru was a quiet person but he wasn't an anti social. All throughout the past month not once had he argued back with Haruna, shooed off Hinata's picking, or tried to talk to Komori. He must have been hiding something, but it was like he didn't even know what it was. Idiot.

Shouta relaxed. Now wasn't the time to get worked up over something so little. He had to focus on the half demon who was explaining the type of demon they were going to execute. It was a trivial demon that they would be able to take care of, but it was still important to listen. Also Haruna would yell at him later if he didn't. She was already giving him a look that plainly said I'm-going-to-murder-you-Inuyasha-style.

Which meant without mercy.

Until Kagome gave him the command.

It was an ordinary village. People, people and more people, with food. The only difference was the person they were talking to, Jinenji. A very ugly half-breed with horrible bulging eyes that looked right through his soul. Considering each of them had their dirty little secrets, except Hikaru, it was a bit unsettling. But, never in Shouta's life, did he think he would find another village who accepted demons.

"It comes out at night to attack the orphanage. Some nights it does and others it doesn't." The man paused taking in a shallow breath, trying to regain his composure. "I'm sorry; I'm just not a fighter."

Shouta wanted to scoff but would have to endure his siblings' wrath if he didn't. What type of demon didn't know how to fight?

"Why the orphanage?" Hikaru mumbled to himself. His siblings gave him concerned looks. When he noticed, he continued. "Why something so defenseless. Sesshomaru would never do something so self-demeaning."

Hikaru slouched his shoulders. The poor boy was always thinking of others like the kind and caring person he was. Unfortunately, that would be his dismay.

Shouta should have comforted him, maybe by placing a hand on his shoulder and telling him that everything was going to be okay, but that wasn't his place. He was the sneaky ease dropper who no one could trust and he wasn't about to step over his boundaries. Even if he did, or wanted to, why would Hikaru trust him now?

Komori was the one to do it, though he didn't say anything. Hikaru smiled and looked up to his older brother with a new found confidence. Shouta would never be close to his siblings like those two. Komori only smiled back as they motioned for Jinenji to continue.

"Most of the orphans have died. The villagers are worried that soon it will attack their own children."

The tears could be seen on the corners of his eyes.

Hikaru grabbed onto the demon's robe in a comforting act. "We'll kill the demon." Hikaru's voice rang with confidence. Jinenji looked up with shock, after all, how often was there a boy who had such leadership skills? The demon breathed trying to calm himself.

"Saki will guide you to your rooms." The villager gestured to a girl who had been off to the side. Her petite frame closed in and bowed to them. Finally Jinenji left to his own business.

She walked them through the house which was like any other, only it being huge and overly fancy. It was brightly lit, had polished walls and floors and far too many paintings of nobles. The servants were busy scurrying to their destinations. Overall, it was a well controlled house with an organized headmaster.

"This is where you'll be sleeping." The girl gesture to a room that was large and homey, but unnecessarily so. She gave a small smile to Komori as he turned away from her to look at the room. Shouta gave a sly grin. Even after marriage it was still going to end badly, huh?

Haruna was the first to go into the room followed by Hinata. They took a long look around examining it. Haruna crossed her arms and looked up towards the ceiling. "Don't you have a room that feels more comfortable? Whenever I'm in these big rooms I always feel like everything around me is so damn fragile."

Hinata let out a irritated sigh then turned to her sister. "It's a nice room." She practically demanded.

"It's too nice."

"How can it be too nice?"

"I already said why!"

Hikaru took a side-step behind Komori as the sisters started their argument. Saki started to adjust her kimono in nervousness. Maybe it would be best to shut the door and let them argue: If no one stopped them then they would start fighting. Wait, too late. Their yells started to echo while servants turned their heads to see the new found drama. Hikaru breathed out waiting for them to just start throwing punches.

Shouta leaned on a foot and crossed his arms also waiting for them to stop arguing. Someone should have warned the girl that it was going to happen, but to hell if Shouta was going to do. He just liked to watch people squirm from uncomfortableness.

"I'm sorry." The girl blurted out. Her kimono wrinkled from her bowing. Shouta could easily see her shoulders tense and her breathing become hallow. It was tedious for people to be scared, but it was pretty funny at the same time.

"They always fight like this. It could be over the fact that there's a gnat on the wall and they would start hitting each other." Hikaru explained from behind his blushing brother.

The girl sighed, glad it wasn't because of her.

Shouta examined his older brother. Maybe, now he could get him to squirm. It was like failure laughed in his face whenever his brother left unblemished by Shouta's repetitive behavior. Komori would always have that type of control over him that he could never triumph. Shouta would always see Komori shadow and maybe for once he could get his brother down to him. Just for once he'd like to see his brother human, again.

"Hikaru." Hikaru looked up to him. "Go take care of Yuuta."

Hikaru crunched his brows and gave his brother an odd glance; he left without cavil. With Hikaru away it would be far easier to watch his brother come from that high position he blindly placed himself in.

Shouta closed the door, muffling the yells of the two look-alike's.

"In the mean time," Shouta continued as he grabbed Komori. "This is my brother Komori."

He clearly tensed under Shouta's grip as he looked anywhere but the girl. His face slowly turned a shade of red. Finally, a damn reaction. Victory soured through Shouta veins as his heart raced. His grip tightened as it seemed that maybe, just maybe, this would go Shouta's way for once instead of it always being in Komori's favor, just like everything else did. Almost everything.

"Well." Saki scratched her head not quite sure how to respond to the odd teenagers. She glanced around looking for a way out of the confrontation. After not finding one, she asked, "What do you think of house?"

Komori didn't respond. Shouta gave his brother a light nudge which brought him out of his stupor. Komori continued to look to the ground with his blush growing more obvious. Shouta smirked which went unnoticed. Just a little more.

"Would you like to give me a tour?" Saki asked brightly.

Perfect.

Grimness crossed Komori's face as he thought franticly for a different pathway. His polite behavior would ensue that he would caught within his own web. Each door was blocked because if his own restrictions; something Shouta never understood. Now, he could watch his brother see life the way he did. Let him squirm under Shouta's reign and dominance, something he was never able to do. Someone would normally step in and pull Shouta back under the darkness, not this time.

"Sure, why not?" Komori quietly said. It would be too rude to say no to the hostess. She was giving up her room and time for them. Komori would just have lean under his own morale's.

This was apparently good enough for the girl who gasped in delight.

Still perfect.

"Not going to invite me?" Shouta asked slyly leaning in towards the girl.

It caught her off guard. "Oh. Well..." She leaned away.

Shouta cut her off. "I guess it doesn't matter. You can have fun with a married man." Shouta walked into the room waving the girl good bye.

Shouta couldn't help but let out a snicker as Haruna turned to him giving him an irritated look. The smile on his face clearly showed that he confessed to her accusation. He did do something to his brother and he wasn't about to deny it. He beat him back into the ground where he belonged. It's where everyone belonged, that's why Shouta like manipulating people.

Shouta didn't know what his brother was going to do to get out of it but Komori came in with that impassive stare that Shouta hated so much. It made his victory come crashing out of it's high pride. Shouta gritted his teeth in loathsome. Komori wasn't going to pretend that he didn't win.

Komori held himself with high posture and graceful cavalier. His victory came back. It was facade. Komori was broken in the inside from the stab. Good.

The twin watched as Komori unpacked his weapons and bedding. Hinata's troubled look floated over to Shouta.

He looked back to Komori. Maybe just one more, not for his pride or dominance, but because it was the truth. Whether or not Komori liked it.

"I think you handled that well despite being girl-shy."

Tension hovered in the room as the twins looked from each other to Komori, back to each other and finally to Shouta. His words were deep in their minds. He had to wonder, could they actually handle the truth, or were they in denial like Komori? His word

"You're not even going to listen are you?"

_'You can't make anyone do anything that they don't want to do, no matter how logical it sounds.'_ His father's words rung through his head. Yeah, no matter what he did, Komori would turn his head and ignore him. Seeing the truth was something had to do on his own. Sure, Shouta wasn't nearly as philosophical, or as smart as Komori, but at least Shouta wasn't stuck in the past.

"One day you're going to have a girl. Then what are you going to do?"

Komori took in a deep breath as worry crossed his face. Shouta could have laughed and jabbed it at him more while dancing and squealing like a girl, but he wouldn't. Instead he was going to smile knowing that Komori, deep down inside, knew that Shouta was right.

Haruna stepped in. "He's right. You need to get over it."

Oh, shit. Even Haruna agreed with him. It made him want to dance like an idiot even more.

"You two leave him alone. You know why he's like this." Hinata's motherly voice settled in. Anyone one of them could stop him, but if Haruna joined sides with him then it was pointless.

"And I know why he'll stay like this." Haruna sat in front of him. "Shouta's right. You need to get over it."

Komori bit his lip and deplorably turned away.

"Haruna." Hinata threatened.

Komori slumped his shoulder in defeat but said nothing.

Shouta let his smile spread. Finally, a victory that would last.

Hikaru kept in rhythmic movement. The thick mane just didn't want to get rid of all it's glorious knots. Many times he had to stop and pull apart the hair. The black horse just stood there in it's high dominance. The picking didn't bother him at all.

Hikaru smiled. It was nice to find another village that accepted demons.

It was nice to be able to go to a village that accepted demons. Many villages weren't to kempt on letting a demon horse that was bigger than a man stay inside of their village. If it weren't for the two monks and three demons slayer then their horse would have been beaten dead a long time ago.

His siblings probably would have used Kirara, but Uncle Kohaku had her.

Hikaru pulled himself over Yuuta and straddled onto him. Once again, he ignored Hikaru as he picked at the top of his head. Once again, there were more knots, but if Hikaru didn't brush it then it would get worse.

Why Shouta suddenly wanted Hikaru to leave he could only guess. Oddly enough, Shouta was a bit of an animal lover, despite being a bit cruel to humans. Hikaru only shook his head in disapproval of his older brother's antic behavior. At least he showed his true personality.

Yuuta grunted and shook his head while stamping in place. It threw a surprised Hikaru off and he slammed into the ground. His back shot up with pain. Groaning, he tried to roll onto his stomach but his body just didn't want to.

When the pain abated Hikaru stood to face the horse. He was still causing a fuss and, what seemed to be, a temper tantrum. Hikaru scratched the back of his neck trying to figure out why the horse was freaking out. It was only worrying passing by villagers as Yuuta made louder noises.

Finally Hikaru grabbed the bridle, attempting to calm him down. Unexpectedly, it worked. Yuuta lowered his head and let Hikaru rub his nose.

"What's wrong with you?" Hikaru asked in concern. There wasn't any bugs in his ears were there?

Yuuta grunted and looked beyond Hikaru. Hikaru turned around and saw through the crowd of villagers his sister in her dark purple kimono with a boy. Her hands were clasped behind her back in some girly gesture that he would never be able to pull nor would he want to.

The boy she was with was smiling and leaning in a bit too closely. Hinata also leaned in a bit more with a smile on her face. She slightly lifted herself on her toes which showed the underlining of her demon slayer clothes. The boy didn't take any notice but continued with a smirk on his face and whisper something in her ear. Hinata giggled and bent over a little which showed just a bit too much of her neck.

Hikaru shivered in uncomfortableness. He never really did understand girls. Getting over his detestation of girl cooties he continued to watch them. He seriously doubted that it would go anywhere since they lived in different villages, plus, there was Haruna. Poor Hinata, couldn't get a boy even if her life depended on it. Which many times it did.

Hikaru let go of the strap and brushed his hand through Yuuta's thick hair; He whined in return. Hikaru pulled his hand away but Yuuta kept whining.

Hikaru sighed in frustration. What was wrong with him?

Yuuta snapped his head back to Hinata which smacked Hikaru in the face. He bent over in pain hold his nose waiting for the tingling to stop. He glanced at his sister through his fingers.

They were still too close together.

He stared back at Yuuta.

Yuuta was a demon horse. Maybe he saw something that he didn't see. Maybe this boy was just bad. Maybe not a bad person, but just a bad idea. Or maybe something bad would happen. Hikaru ignored the suspiciously bad omen and heaved himself back on Yuuta. If it turned into a problem then Haruna would deal with it.

As time went by, Hikaru became more anxious because Yuuta just would not shut up and stay still. Also, Hinata never left the boy. Multiple times Yuuta had smacked him in the face somehow or had completely thrown him off. Irked, Hikaru plopped in the dirt, under the shade, to think.

Firstly, people don't know other people by first impression. It's always wrong, judgmental and assumptive. Hinata had more experience with people than him so if there was something wrong then she would be able to see it for himself.

Secondly, if something bad were to happen, she would be able to deal with it. So why was Yuuta so frantic?

Well... she did look like she was chasing after men. Was she that desperate and lonely? She was a bit far past marrying age. But, she was a nice, polite and quiet girl, something like men-chasing didn't suit her.

Maybe, like now, Hinata choose the wrong boys and Haruna had to chase them off. It happened way too many times for it to be an accident each and every time. No, that couldn't be right. Something was just missing in all of it, but he just couldn't see what it was. Yuuta's temper tantrum didn't help with his thinking.

Hikaru gave up. He got up and brushed the dirt from his dark robe.

"Hinata!" He called which brought about a harsh glare from the older sister. Hikaru flinched back. What was with the distasteful expression? Her face soften as she saw who it. "Would you help me?"

Hinata turned her back to him as she said something to the boy. He looked so disappointed and annoyed it made Hikaru feel sorry that he interrupted them, but the horse wouldn't be quiet and Hinata was obvious at the center of it. The boy was shooed away before Hinata walked over to Hikaru.

She pinched Hikaru's cheek in affection. "You just have to interrupt everything, don't you?" She smiled at him.

Hikaru gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah, I guess I do."

"So what do you need help with?"

"Well," Hikaru noticed that the horse remained quiet. "A moment ago he was a bit aggressive and noisy, but not anymore. Would you help me brush him?"

"Of course." Hinata said as she picked up the brush from the ground. She was a better than him. She was always a head taller than him.

Hikaru reexamined at his sister. A head taller? He used to barely be able to see over her shoulder, but now his eye level came to her neck. He looked down and noticed that his robes were higher off the ground. He smiled, proud that he had grown since who knows when.

He looked back at his sister who didn't have a problem getting out the tangles like he did.

'_Must be because she's a girl.'_

Hikaru frowned; His original thought came back to him. Was it Haruna's stubborn personality, or was it something else?

"Isn't it just a season for love." Haruna sarcastically said. "Maybe I'll be next to get married."

"Don't jinx yourself." Hinata replied leaning her head against Haruna's head. Her whole body was slouched as the two girls watched over the boys for their period. "You might get stuck with a guy who can actually beat the crap out of you."

"Maybe." Haruna leaned against her sister with a thoughtful look. "I think that would actually be nice."

Hinata suppressed a laugh by coughing. "You'd think I would be used to your weird thoughts but apparently not."

Haruna rolled her eyes and looked over at the horizon. The last few rays of the sun could barely be seen through the thick leaves of the trees and the hill shadows. The bite of cold was starting to settle in while the animals took notice and hid in their homes. Most of the people were hidden in their homes so the quiet was so strong that Haruna could hear the ringing in her ears. It was quiet like those boring summer days that the two girls always had.

"Why are we doing this again?"

"What?" Hinata snuggled closer. The night was coming and it would probably be wise to grab a blanket. They probably wouldn't, but it was just a thought.

"Hunting demons." Haruna wrapped her arms around her little sister.

"For the summer festival." Haruna's warmth enclosed on Hinata. Haruna used daggers and swords while Hinata used a bow and arrows. Haruna was far stronger, thus more muscular, thus more body heat. In a way Hinata always went to Haruna for comfort like she did now. Everyone else always thought it was the other way around.

"Is this what were going to do with our lives? Hunt demons and have kids and then that's it?"

"Well, what else is there to do?"

"Our parents did something more."

"That's true. But what are the chances?"

Silence took over Haruna as her face scrunched up in disgust.

"Whatever. It means nothing."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means nothing." Haruna spoke more harshly, so Hinata let it drop.

Haruna was high and confident. Hinata suppressed a laugh. At least, that's what everyone thought. Everyone assumed Hinata was born for the purpose of following her around to pick up the responsibility. It couldn't have been more wrong. Haruna always took the fall for Hinata because Hinata was 'supposed' to take the fall for Haruna.

Just like what happened with Hikaru those few weeks ago.

A silence fell on them as Haruna went into her own thinking and Hinata wondered what Haruna what it was. She had a glazed look over her eyes that always brought in trouble. Sure, she was bossy, aggressive and didn't like to have people tell her what to do, but she wasn't a bad person. Hinata, unlike everyone else, knew about Haruna's problems. Haruna wasn't that strong girl that who always got her way like everyone thought she was, she was just a young adult making her way in life.

Hinata snuggled closer to her sister hoping to get more heat. Yeah, they really should have gotten a blanket.

It was alright that Haruna wasn't so stereotypical, because that's what made Haruna individual. It made her the older sister that loved and grew up with. Despite all her flaws and oddities, she still cared for Haruna deeply.

"When our cousins come over, I'm to teach them how to body slam people."

Hinata covered her face with her hand in shame. Just because people misunderstood her didn't mean they were always wrong.

"Why?" She dared to ask.

"Wouldn't that be funny for two kids to go around slamming people into the ground?"

Hinata leaned away from her sister and gave her an incredulous look. Haruna stared back at her sister giving her an arrogant thought of a ten year girl in a pink kimono making a grown man eat his own dirt was pretty funny. Rude, but funny.

"I guess it would be funny."

Haruna's smirk widen as Hinata slowly snuggled back into her sister.

"Teach them Inuyasha-style." Haruna said looking back over to the horizon.

"Ah, you mean without mercy."

"Exactly!"

"Speaking of which, I wonder what he's doing."

"Probably arguing with Kagome like he always does."

"Inuyasha, why don't you ever go with them? It would help them." Kagome looked up to her husband who was laying on the roof as she filed out the herbs. Even though it was night time, no demon dared to cross her and her husband.

"I fetched them a goddamn demon horse. What more do you want me to do?"

"Actually make sure they come out alive."

"They always come out alive."

Kagome frowned. That may have been true but she wondered how Sango and Miroku must have felt. Their children always went out of their ways to help with the summer festival and sometimes came back with bruises and scars. Sure, they always came back alive, but what if one time they didn't?

"Kagome." Inuyasha groaned with concern. "They'll be fine. Haruna's there. She's tough as hell."

Kagome frowned. "She isn't as tough as everyone makes her out to be."

"You're delusional."

Kagome gave her husband a glare which he ignored. She turned her head back to her herbs with a huff. "Sit."

A crash and a yell was shortly heard afterward. Kagome smiled. She would make him fix the roof later.

"Maybe they're having sex." Haruna suggested.

Hinata hid her blush in the crook of her sister's neck. "Why do you always bring out the worst?" Her voice muffled.

"What's wrong with sex? It's about damn time they had a kid." Haruna paused as her body tensed. Hinata looked up to her wondering if she sensed a demon. Haruna was always better, but Haruna did always trained harder.

It wasn't a demon. Just Haruna's deep thoughts.

"I wonder if they can even have a child." Haruna continued. "Inuyasha's is half-demon and I've never heard of a fourth demon. The human blood could over power it and it would be a regular human." Haruna shook her head and slouched in defeat. "Kagome might even be too old to have a child. She's nearly forty. It might be too hard."

Who would have thought that Haruna could pity other people? Hinata, that's who. She wrapped her arms around her sister's neck hoping to comfort her. Haruna dropped her head on Hinata's head. Inuyasha was like a second father to Haruna; proven, Inuyasha actually let Haruna touch his ears. At least in private. Of course she would pity Inuyasha.

Hinata's heart sank into an endless pit whenever she saw Haruna dispirited. She was always lively, restless and bored; it meant something was seriously wrong.

"Maybe you can get Sesshomaru to give you a child and then you can give it to them." Hinata suggested while suppressing a laugh.

Haruna choked on her breath and went into a coughing fit. "And people think I'm insane."

_"Well?"_

Hikaru turn toward up to his brother sitting behind him in the wagon. He adjusted the horse he was guiding, despite it being night they'd get there faster. Hikaru pulled his blanket around him tighter to keep out the cool night's breeze.

"Well, what?" Hikaru softly asked adverting his eyes towards the sleeping twins. If Haruna woke up, they'd be too injured to go into battle.

Hikaru heard an almost silent chuckle. The siblings were used to the bumps in the road, the accessional wining of the horses and the other nightly noises of the forest, anything else and they would jolt awake. If Shouta was going to talk to him at night, then he obviously didn't want the others to know.

"What happened?"

Hikaru turned back towards the horse .He may have been the youngest, but guiding a horse wasn't exactly hard. He looked him over making sure that nothing was wrong with him, not that there was, but he really didn't want to look at his brother.

"With what?"

Hikaru heard a slight moan and maybe a few words that his brother monk shouldn't have said. Another bump in the road. Not that anyone would stir.

"Come on." Shouta quietly growled. "You know what I mean."

"No I don't."

"Fine, what happened all those weeks ago?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hikaru truly didn't. Many things happened. Like a girl tried to kiss him and he freaked out. And even if he did have a big secret, he wasn't about to talk to Shouta about it. He wasn't a gossip, but he was too devious.

A small creak was heard behind him followed by a very quiet, irritated growl.

"You're up?" Hikaru heard Hinata softly ask. Shouta shouldn't have moved so much. It was amazing how away the slept on edge but at home that they slept like babies.

"Couldn't sleep." Shouta softly lied.

"Well, why don't you take over the horses and let Hikaru sleep?" Hinata suggested.

Shouta hesitated. "Yeah, Hikaru come back here."

Quietly and with ease, Hikaru slid away from the horses as Shouta grabbed the straps. Hinata gave him a smile and leaned her head on Haruna's shoulder. Her eyes closed but both boys knew that she was watching them. The times when Hinata stood up for Hikaru were the times that if they didn't listen to her then her wrath would come.

Hikaru smugly settled into his blanket. He fell asleep knowing that Shouta just wasn't going to have his way that night.

There were some words and a weird feeling on his side. Oh, someone was trying to wake him up. Either it was his time to watch or there was a demon. Groggily sitting up, Hikaru forced himself from his slumber.

"My time or demon?" Hikaru mumbled as he reached over to grab his staff.

"Demon."

Through the blurs in his eyes, Shouta and Komori were awake already with weapons in tact. Hikaru closed his eyes and breathed in forcing his mind to clear and to be alert. When his eyes were opened he clearly saw his sibling ready for battle.

Jumping off the ground, Hikaru readied himself for battle.

"Good let's go." Haruna commanded as she pulled over her mask. Better safe than sorry.

The five stealthily crossed over the wooden floor with only the faint sound of their clothes bristling. The doors were opened and closed without a guard on alert. Crossing the freezing dew covered grass was even easier. Not a person stirred from their running and not a person saw them. The cool night brought about a hidden blanket that gave the a disguise of invisibility.

This was their other sides. It was a part of them that no one knew of, but it was a part of them that they didn't want people to know about. It was the few times when they weren't scission. They were, after all, forced together by blood, and many times that's what held them together.

This was their unity.

Though it never lasted long.

The sensation of a demon grew stronger. It wrapped itself around the thick trees and crept along the bug invested dirt. That was alright, it just let them know where he was.

The sly coward slid from the shrubbery of the forest and held itself high. Hikaru took a step back. The demon had shimmering skin that gave a glow around his body. It wasn't an aura. He shook his head to concentrate. So what? It was still a low-life, pathetic, weak demon.

Of course it would prey on children. Hikaru tightened his grip on his staff. How dare something so pathetic frighten innocent people. Hikaru gritted his teeth. It hunted on orphans. What twisted sick bastard hurt a child without parents?

"Lets kill him." Hikaru growled. His siblings gave him surprised looks. Never had Hikaru been so aggressive.

Hikaru leered to Haruna for a command. A smirk crossed over her face as their hatred synchronized. She sent the demon a morbid and sadist smile. "Plan attack; entrapment."

Hikaru smiled. The poor demon didn't know what was going to hit him.\

"This. Is such. Bullshit." Shouta continued to grumble under his breath.

Komori came up behind him and slapped him over the head. Shouta grumbled some more while rubbing the back of his head. He sent his brother a warning glance but it would be futile to the anti-social.

Komori didn't even bother to roll his eyes. His brother would always throw a grown up hissy fit whenever he didn't get his way. Shouldn't he have been happy that they didn't have to do any work and that they were going back for more sleep? He never did think about the entire situation, only what was in front of him.

Just before they were going to attack another demon came out. The two growled, clawed and drew blood. It was a gruesome scene of intestines flying and blood splatter all over the trees. The second demon had finally won by cracking the first demons head off.

He studied them for a moment before flying his arms wide open and happily telling them to give him a hug.

It was Shippo. And none of them were about to hug him.

Shouta should have been relieved. The first impression of the demon was that it was weak, but after watching Shippo's devastating struggle to win, it was far tougher than it looked. Because of their underestimation they would have had their own heads torn off. Did Shouta ever bother to look at those things? No, of course he wouldn't.

Komori glanced behind his shoulder and watch as Shippo talked with Hikaru. Shippo brightly walked beside him as his long hair bounced to his steps. Komori couldn't help but look at the purple spots all over his kimono. What was he doing here anyway's?

Hikaru gave Shippo a disgusted look as Shippo licked the blood off of his limb fingers and razor sharp claws. Komori looked away too. It kind of was nasty.

"Shippo, what brings you down here?" Hinata asked as they slipped into the village roads. Normally it would be busy with people but it was deathly quiet and not a dust spec moved.

"Nothing much. I went to the Inuyasha's forest and found Kagome and she asked me to find you guys. She' was worried for some reason."

"Maybe it's that time of the month."

Komori desperately hoped everyone would ignore her crude comments. He almost sighed in relief when they did. It really was better to ignore her and not encourage her bashful behavior. He glanced at Hikaru. He was blatantly confused but kept his mouth shut. How odd, normally Hikaru talked backed to anything Haruna had to say.

"We'll stay here for the night and then we'll leave in the morning." Shippo stated. "But, I'm not going to be in the washiki with you. So you guys behave yourselves."

"We always behave." Shouta replied.

Komori wanted to smack him again. His sarcasm was highly unwanted and just rude to their elder. Then again, Shouta even pushed it with Inuyasha, and Shippo wasn't exactly frightening like him.

Haruna stopped.

Everyone else copied her and stood behind her. Komori stranded his neck to see what it was that she was looking at. Across the street was a group of boys, probably finishing chores that should have been done during the day. Cutting meat, mostly.

"Oh, no." Hikaru mumbled under his breath. If Komori heard it, then Shippo most certainly heard it. Like always, Komori looked to Haruna for the lead. The only reply he got was Haruna giving the group of boys a very morbid and malicious look.

Hinata whispered something into Haruna's ear and then made her way to the group of boys.

"What's going on?" Shippo inquired glancing at Haruna as he asked.

Probably Haruna doing what she always does. Hurting people.

The boys were underneath a few torches who didn't seem to happy to have Hinata closing in on them. After greeting them she made a few gestures as if talking to the boys. They all seemed to form a wall around her. She must have noticed, she was stupid. They obviously didn't want her there so what was she doing there?

Komori's heart started to speed up.

What was she doing?

Komori looked back to Haruna, hoping she would do something about it. Haruna had her arms crossed in her defiant attitude and was leaning on her leg as if she didn't have a care at all. A scowl was on her face as she watch the boys, what seemed to be, argue with Hinata over something.

"Haruna," Shippo hissed. "What's going on?"

Haruna flipped back her hair. It only meant she had full control over the situation, and she would be damned if things didn't go her way. Komori became irritated. It was times like these that if Haruna would just not be so prideful then everyone would suffer less than they had to.

"Nothing that normally doesn't come." Haruna replied in her sassy, know-it-all attitude.

Komori turned away from the control freak and turned to his solicitous sister. It didn't take much to know that it was over another boy. Over all the things those two had to worry about, it always went back to something as stupid as a boy.

Komori heard a sly snicker from Shouta. Of course he would find this to be funny, but then yet again, it was, wasn't it? Two demon slayer who had to think about human lives, leadership, survival, and many magnificent responsibilities that no one had to think about, were about to fight over a boy.

How stereotypical.

Hinata walked back looking at the ground. Her long, shining hair covered her face which must have held the look of vengeance.

"Haruna!" She harshly croaked. She looked up with tears on her face. "Another one!" This time she shouted.

Komori flinched. If the started screaming at each other then the villagers would wake up.

"You know what? Even if he didn't come up to me what are the chances of you actually seeing him again?" Haruna leaned in a bit with a smug look on her face. Why did she always do this Hinata?

"What were the chances of Mom and Dad seeing each other again? She tried to kill him! Yet, they're married now!"

"She was also almost dead and had a fucking jewel shard in her back. The chances were just about nothing. Like yours with him."

The look-alike's were breaths away from each other. One with an all-knowing smile and the other with a wrathful glare. This was not one of their fights were they were laughing in two minutes, no, this was where experience met determination. Haruna would beat everything at all cost with the knowledge and the skill to do so, while Hinata would claw her way to the top hoping to get to Haruna's level. One of them would win, and the question wasn't even who, it was how?

Shippo slammed his claws onto their shoulders and yanked them apart. He wasn't exactly a leader, but he was an older brother knowing when it was a good time to step in.

"Both of you calm down."

Haruna immediately snatch his wrist, digging her finger into him, sending him a warning glare.

Yes, he was the older brother who wanted peace, but he wasn't Haruna. He had been taken care of during battle with Naraku. While this control freak had leadership, power and strength and she was, by no means, a little girl who he once took care of. His authority was well past due and it could not overrun this barbarian.

Komori looked away, mortified at Shippo's mistake.

"Or not." Shippo said as the girl pushed him away.

"Way to take control Shippo." Shouta taunted as Shippo gave him a glare.

"If you think you can do any better, then by all means, please do."

Shouta put up his hands in defense. "I think I'll stay over here where my legs are attached to my body."

The girls continued their argument which the boys over the road had slowly moved away from. It was uncommon for women to be so loud and so defiant, it may have scared them or disgusted them. Komori wasn't sure which one, but these people weren't used to their behavior like he was. They would scare the village.

A few people had come out of their houses with the children to watch as the girls argued. A few pointed and whispered, but no one said anything to them. They were demon slayers and monks. Surely everything had to be alright.

"I'm nineteen! I need to find a husband now or never. I'll never get married if you keep chasing everyone off. Just because you're going to die alone without children doesn't mean I should too!"

A wave of silence over came the twins. Usually, it was Haruna that went too far, but this time Hinata had clawed her way to the top, and had found her soft spot. So this was the 'how'.

Haruna's face scrunched in excruciating anger, her knuckles turned white from the pressure and her stance practically screamed dead meat. Everyone tensed, even Hinata.

But...Haruna wouldn't dare... not to Hinata.

Remorse crossed Haruna face as she relaxed her body in defeat.

"You're right." She quietly said and then walked away.

They stood in shock. Did...Haruna just give up? Just like that? There wasn't any way that she could have settled down her pride so fast. It just didn't happen.

"Haruna, were are you going?" Shippo called after her.

"Home." She quietly replied as she disappeared into the forest.

They all turned to Hinata who had a incredulous looked plastered on her face. She could only stand in awe as for once Haruna had retreated and surrendered with her tail behind her legs.

"She'll be fine, won't she?" Hikaru looked up to Hinata in hope. Komori wanted to scoff, but would never do something like that. Hikaru always was such a hopeful person; full of innocence. No, she wasn't alright. Since when did Haruna ever give up?

Hinata snapped out of her daze and gave Hikaru a smile. "She'll be fine. In a few days we'll go back to the way it's always been."

Hikaru gave back a smile as if he actually believed it. Of course it wouldn't go back to the way it was. For once Haruna was afflicted by Hinata, no less. It's something she had never experienced before and she probably didn't know how to deal with it. She would lash out irrationally, and do something she would regret later.

Komori looked to Shouta wondering if he knew this. No, why would he? He knew what happened in everyone's lives, but he didn't understand nor did he ever take the time to analyze people. He didn't know how it worked.

"Let's go back the washiki and get some sleep, okay? Haruna will be fine, but you guys are a different story." Shippo spoke up. He was just trying to keep them calm and moving, something he learned from his adventures with Naraku. But, not leadership.

Komori looked to Hinata waiting for her approval. Shouta and Hikaru were also waiting for her answer. They understood where the authority was, and it most certainly wasn't with Shippo. With Haruna gone, Hinata was second in command. That's all there was to it. Shippo wasn't the one who risked his life for them nearly everyday.

"Yeah," Hinata replied softly looking to the ground. She just didn't know how to take control like Haruna. "We should probably do that." She looked back to where Haruna left. "She'll be fine."

Komori shook his head in disapproval. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself.

With that they walked back to the house.

Haruna slowly crept into the room. Through the darkness and shadows she could barely make out the outlining of the white blanket that Hinata slept with. Steadily she made her way without creaking the floor or making any noises. Gently, she hovered next to her sister with a dagger in hand.

Hinata laid spread across the floor with a hand over her stomach. Her beautiful hair covered the hard floor around her. She looked nice. Far better than Haruna, who must have snored, made noise, and probably slept with a scowl. She just looked pure.

Softly, Haruna clutched her sisters cheek which made Hinata's eyes snap open. For a moment she starred at her sister with bewildered eyes before she realized it was only her. Hinata slowly sat up giving her sister a confused look. Then the detestation came.

"What?" She whispered harshly. "I'm trying to sleep."

Haruna held up the dagger to show her. Hinata looked down at the metal that glistened in the dark for a moment confused. She looked up to Haruna.

"I'm sorry. I really am. You know, that I keep hurting you." Haruna slouched her shoulders and looked to the wooden floor. Maybe she would forgive her. "I thought of a way to make sure that it never happens again."

Quietly, Haruna placed the dagger on the floor before she tied her hair into a ponytail. She once again held the dagger in her hand and her hair in the other.

Haruna tensed for what was coming.

Cutting through it was hard and difficult. Her thick hair fought again the inferior object as tears went down her cheeks. She really did love her hair. It was a signature of beauty and she didn't let anyone touch it. She only trust Hinata and Mom.

Her detached locks fell to the ground around her as the lay on the cold floor. The shivering air felt nearly painful on her bear neck. She went to grab at it but found nothing. She looked down to lost dignity. They so easily blended in with the dark illuminati.

Finally she looked up to see Hinata crying as well. Hinata place a hand over her mouth a quiet sob escaped her lips. Haruna felt bad. She was supposed to be happy, but there she was trembling and crying. She felt her heart turn in her chest. What did she do wrong?!

"Haruna." Hinata muffled sobs started to come faster. She threw herself around her sister and breathed into her neck. Hesitantly, Haruna wrapped her arms around the cowering girl. "I know how much you loved your hair. Why would you do something like that?"

"This way people can't mistake us for each other. No more boys running away." Haruna laid her head on her sister back. She felt her bumpy spine rub against her ear.

Maybe this was a bad idea. Letting Hinata go was just...wrong. Wrong for her and wrong to the other boys. She tightened her grip on her sister. She already made the choice to let her go, but did it really have to be this self sacrificing?

After a few minutes, Hinata's huffs and sobs quieted down. Haruna made a move to cut off the hug. Maybe they ought to go to sleep, but Hinata refused to let her leave. They guided their way to floor. Somehow the blanket was laid over them while the treasured locks laid in the dust beneath them. All the while Hinata keeping her grip least her sister would abandon her that night. Soon they went to sleep together like they always did.

"If you keep staring I'm going to punch you."

"Komori keeps staring too."

"Komori wouldn't say anything about it."

"I wouldn't either."

"I know, but I like Komori more. He never argues with me."

"I always have a perfectly good reason to argue with you."

"Hikaru, there's no point in arguing with Haruna, just drop it." Shouta impeded.

He exasperatingly sighed and held his head in his hands. Hikaru never did learn to just accept Haruna's incoherent thoughts. At least he was arguing with Haruna, unlike being anti-social like he had been. Maybe things would turn out alright.

"I think it looks cute on you." Shippo stepped in with a smile on his face. He was sitting on the edge of the wagon with his confident, arrogant, child-like smile.

"I think I don't care what you think." Haruna replied with a huff.

Shippo came up and dragged his finger through her hair. A shiver noticeably went through Haruna as she let out a gasp. She clasped the back of her neck with her hand. It always was weird cutting hair off.

"It really does look nice." Shippo said again, but softer and with more fondness. "It reminds me when you were little and you were so innocent."

Haruna blushed from the affection as Shippo continued to stoke her hair. It seemed nice for the moment before Haruna screamed and punched him in the face which sent him flying off the wagon.

"The hell was that for?!" She screeched down at him.

"I could be asking you the same!" He yelled back as the wagon moved on ahead of him.

"Don't try to be affectionate with me, asshole!"

"Can't we just get on with it?" Hikaru groaned.

Her younger siblings groaned with exhaustion, but at least they knew Haruna was still Haruna. They would go back to the village and, apparently, everything would go back to the way it was.

Remember what I said about never updating so soon?


End file.
